A Chance in Hell
by Lynn Osburn
Summary: UPDATE: CHAPTER 21 and EPILOGUE are finally UPDATED! sighs Ya'll gonna hate my ass. Seriously, by the time you read the Epilogue you are gonna want to kill me. RR
1. Prologue

There are many halls and many doors within the Citadel, doors that lead to others levels and doors that lead to death. Doors that lead to libraries and throne rooms and doors which go no where in particular but right back from where you came. Doors stretching endlessly through the dark and endless halls, calling to you, ensnaring you…never letting you go.

Behind one such door, lay an empty room. A human…a normal human could walk in here and feel nothing but the hairs on the back of their neck stand on end. But to a sorcerer, this rooms is alive with unseen magic. For it has had many owners and five times as many uses.

Mozenrath knew it was the only place in the Citadel suitable.

The floors under him were solid black marble, the walls like wise. No windows or holes through which to escape. The door bolted shut quite tightly. Mozenrath double checked the locks and nodded, satisfied that they were indeed closed. He had not allowed Xerxes to join him for this. The little eel had an annoying way of mucking up complicated spells such as this one.

Only a few items cluttered up an other wise empty space. A point of thick red liquid, and dark black feather. The rest of what was needed was internal.

Mozenrath sat down cross-legged in the exact middle of the room and closed his eyes, forcing calm on his body. He had made sure to memorize the spells procedures so he wouldn't have to bother with the heavy texts. Truth be told, he was a little wary to have them in here with him.

He had stumbled across the yellowed sheets while cleaning out Destain's old laboratory. It was in an unholy disarray of books, dust, odd and deadly objects, and manuscripts courtesy of the old vulture himself. Mozenrath had been reluctant to go through the mess, but now he was pleased he had.

_The old bastard was always good at this aspect of magic. _Destain had possessed a penchant for summoning spells, elemental, daemon, succubus. Anything he could control fed his thirst for dominance.

But the papers themselves made him nervous. He had been closely inspecting them when a red sigil appeared in candlelight, almost seeming to hiss at him. Mozenrath was determined to go through with the spell despite appearances, but he thought it best preformed from memory.

Mozenrath expanded his chest and contracted it again, using old tourniquets to control his breathing. When he could feel the magic of the room responding to his presence, he twitched his gloved finger, pulling the objects towards him. He lifted the feather, dipped it in the pot and, with an artists flair, painted a perfect sphere around himself on the ground.

_Bound by blood _

_And set in stone_

_I call to thee_

_Thy power owned_

He whispered the incantation as the raven feather moved quickly in his hands, drawing out the sigils around his circles. Ancient scrawled pictured, wickedly curved in and out like a python round it's prey.

_Pulled forth by malice_

_Drawn to fear_

_I shall command_

_Thy presence here_

Mozenrath felt the power sweeping to turn around him within the circle. Little static charges began to set off, snapping and contorting as the power grew. Mozenrath chuckled and touched the wound on his hand. He had drawn his own blood for this spell as a way to ensure the creature would be forever bound to him. Now he could feel the torn flesh beating it's own tattoo against his muscle. It was coming, whatever it was.

_Your visage wrought_

_Through my demand_

_So all may bow_

_To he who stands_

A roar split the air and Mozenrath watched as the sigils round his body glowed red. He took the knife and backed away, escaping the circle just in time to see a massive bulge in the center growing outward as though to split. It swelled again and the shape of a huge, clawed hand stretched the surface as through it were mud.

Mozenrath grinned maliciously and raised his hands, pointing the palms to the center of the circle.

_Through writhing body_

_Thy passage born_

_Less wax and wane_

_Have vanished lord_

A roar split the ground as a figure, tall and lithe, began to pull itself through the maelstrom of power. Mozenrath blinked against the bright light as it stumblingly stood, trying to gain balance on this new plain. The face suddenly turned towards Mozenrath and tilted slowly, viewing him through glowing red eyes.

A twinge of fear made Mozenrath hesitate, but only for an instant. He thrust out his arms, commanding his own blue black flame to challenge any thoughts of disobedience.

_Then back through tunnel_

_Shall you fall_

_The mighty beaten_

_And hold no thrall_

A ear splitting sound filled and room as the swirl of magic broke, sending everything flying. Mozenrath lifted his arms and felt a horrible burning against his flesh, similar to the kind his gauntlet had first released on him. He opened his eyes and watched as the patterns from the circle began to scratch themselves deep in the flesh of his upper arms. "What?" he visualized the manuscript, trying to remember where this was pointed out.

Before he could think straight, a long hand reached out from the circle and gingerly touched his face. Mozenrath, shock, snapped around and sent a wave of power at the sphere. The creature within recoiled dramatically and tilted it's head again, trying to view Mozenrath.

Mozenrath quickly regained his baring. "Do not touch me daemon!" he snapped in outrage and stood tall. He dusted off the spots on his arm where patterns were now imbedded and scoffed. This must be the binding mentioned. He smiled and began to slowly circle the being, careful to stay outside of the drawn line.

"I am Mozenrath." He said by way of introduction. "Your new Lord and master."

The glow began to subside and Mozenrath began to make out the daemons feature. He stood, an impressive foot taller than the sorcerer, and viewed his new master through questioning demonic eyes. "I am…Diriel…you are the one who called me here?"

Mozenrath found the gaze strangely unsettling. "Yes." He answered. The creature drew forward and Mozenrath had to forcefully hold back a gasp.

The sight before him could not possibly be a daemon! It was too beautiful. The body, tall and finely wrought, was the color of polished gold. Hair, white as snow hung in thick locks down to his knees from a face that looked more angelic that sulfurous. Soft lips opened in a winning smile as the thing rose a hand out to Mozenrath.

The young sorcerer came back to his senses with a sudden jerk. He had strayed too close to the circle. And he had seen the fangs. A double set like wolf jaws with two pointed teeth on the top and bottom of the daemons jaws. He shook his head and looked again, the stunning beauty giving way to the rest of the 'mans' features. Two black horns, curved gracefully backwards against his skull. The tips of his fingers looked like nails at a casual glance, but when Mozenrath looked closer he could tell that they curved wickedly towards him.

To top it all off, the daemon was nude, giving Mozenrath a shameless view of every inch of him.

But Mozenrath caught himself and straightened his clothing. "You are indeed a rare being…Diriel." He paused as if contemplating. "Is that your real name?"

The daemon smiled enigmatically. "As real as anything else you may choose to call me."

Mozenrath nodded. Daemons didn't really have names. They were usually called something by the populace or given a title due to their deeds. He would have to look up this Diriel later and see what he could find. "So then…what do you do exactly?"

Diriel scoffed. "Surely you know? You wouldn't have raised me without knowing what I am."

Mozenrath glared. "I know _what_ you are!" He hated games like this. Why did interdimensional creature always play mind games? "But what do you do? Are you a war lord? A baron? Do you command other daemons? What?"

The daemon stretched out lazily, like a cat in the sun, and yawned. "Well now. I'll just keep that my little secret shall I. It's really irresponsible of you to raise a daemon without properly finding out what we are capable of first." He tsked and shook a finger at Mozenrath through the sphere. "Naughty naughty boy."

Mozenrath felt his face grow warm. "The manuscript didn't exactly say."

"And yet you followed the instructions like a good little pupil." Diriel chuckled. "How old are you kid? Have you even completed your training yet?"

Mozenrath grit his teeth. If there was anything he hated more than being treated like an idiot, it was being treated like a child. "Listen you me you piece of brimstone." He snarled out. "I am your Master. You will pay me proper respect!"

"Shall I? I don't remember the spell saying anything about me having to respect you, handsome."

Mozenrath opened his mouth to say something and suddenly stopped short. Had he just been called handsome? He looked at the daemon and was caught off guard by a sudden wink through long eye lashes back at him. The realization hit him like a ton of bricks. "You…you're a lust daemon…" he whispered.

"More clever than your predecessor. I applaud you for that sorcerer." Dirielrose and came as close to the edge of the circle as he could without touching it. "So you must be that little kitten he went on about…Mozenrath."

"You…you knew Destain?" Mozenrath asked.

"In more than one way." Diriel smiled. "Though he wasn't half the catch you are sweetie." He reached forward with a clawed hand to stroke Mozenrath's cheek, but the human man pulled away from his grip. Diriel sighed. "I did what I am commanded to do by my very existence." He wrinkled up his nose in disgust. "The old fart was just perverted enough to enjoy it, not stupid enough too late me stay."

"Stay? Ah yes, the stipulations of the spell." Mozenrath scratched his chin. According to the spell, the demon would return to it's domain if it's master disappeared for one full wax and wane of the moon. A whole month. "But if you wish to stay, why are you telling me this?"

"You raised me. You keep me bound within this circle. I have no choice but to answer your questions." Diriel shrugged. "I can avoid them if you are not specific enough. But all daemons are bound by truth unless we are able to freely roam or our summoner orders us to lie."

"Interesting." Mozenrath hummed and smiled. "Perhaps your not entirely useless to me." He would have to think about this. All daemons were clever but a lust daemon could be more dangerous than a thousand others combined. They were utterly ruthless in pursuit of their desires. He had summoned one up now, keeping it would prove difficult but as long as he didn't release Diriel from the circle until he was sure of his control that wouldn't be too much of a problem. "Very well then." Mozenrath walked to the edge of the line. "I have some research to complete. I'll be back for you in the morning."

"Wait a tick." Diriel came up to Mozenrath's face. "Your just going to leave me here then?" he hissed.

Mozenrath smiled. "You don't like being trapped? Tough. I'm not stupid enough to let you loose…but your too powerful a being for me to let go back." A sudden screech blew his hair back and Mozenrath backed away. Diriel's eyes were glowing and his fangs gleamed at the end of his lips.

"You play a dangerous game wizard…" he warned then smiled as though nothing had been intended by the sudden viciousness of his appearance. "But maybe you're good at playing. We'll see." Diriel reclined on the floor again and blew Mozenrath a flirtatious kiss.

Mozenrath, in a show of audaciousness that surprised even him, reached his forward and pretended to catch it. "Yes we shall." He grinned. "I'll be in the library if you need anything." He called back mockingly as he unlocked the doors and headed out. "Have a lovely night."

Diriel waited until the sound of footsteps had stopped echoing and chuckled softly in the darkness. "This is almost too easy." He whispered and lifted his fingers. Between them was a single, ebony black hair, curled at the end. He sniffed it and smiled. "See you soon Mozenrath…" he closed his eyes dreamily. "…my love."


	2. Chapter 1

((Just for the information of those who want to know, Diriel is pronounced Dear-I-Al. Not Diriel like Cereal. And Diriel IS a daemon of one form or another. But when I searched him, I received no description as to what exactly he was daemon of. shrugs))

"Go away Xerxes." Mozenrath snapped at the little eel, slamming another book shut. Xerxes made a little whining sound and did a flip in the air, hoping for a tidbit of dinner, but Mozenrath had long since finished off his plate.

Xerxes, despite his speech, was not stupid. He could smell the magical signatures illuminating from his master and had spotted the blood now dripping down the sorcerers arms. He had sniffed them gently only to be thrown off. Xerxes had watched quietly for the better part of the night while Mozenrath poured over books on demonology, exorcism, and other ancient forces of malignancy.

Master had raised something…a daemon…the creature had somehow harmed his master and now… Master was trying to get rid of it?

Xerxes puffed up his chest as Mozenrath levitated another book down to his grasp. Well…nobody harmed his master! Not if he could help it. Xerxes sniffed his master gingerly one more time, and set off down the hall. He could smell magic better than a thirdack and muchtar put together. And this signature was easy to follow.

The loyal little beast followed the trail up the stairs and through the secret passage into the tower. Xerxes suddenly stopped and sniffed the air. "Something not right…" he growled out and arched an ugly brow. He could smell not only magic, but directly tell one spell from another. And what he smelled right now had him worried.

"Hello?" Xerxes chimed out as he turned the hallway, still after the scent. There was nothing here but a single, heavily padlocked door. But sure enough that was where the magical odor was coming from. Xerxes sniffed around the edges and humped to himself. Flew up to the door handle and tapped it with the end of his tail. All things here understood the presence of their master's familiar and admitted him as readily as they would Mozenrath.

As soon as he entered the room, Xerxes let out a gasp. There was a summoning circle all right. But it had been torn apart on one side, the blood trickling along the cracks in the marble. Xerxes did a troubled spin in the air and dove over to the split area, sniffing around it hurriedly.

There, on the exact spot where the circle broke, was his masters black hair.

The little eel tried to screech, but a strong cawed hand rose from the air and grabbed him tightly round the mouth. "Shush now…" A pair of glowing red eyes came into view, followed by the daemons beautiful face. "Can't have you sounding the alarm now can we?"

Xerxes felt the grip tightening around his body. Diriel grinned as a crack resounded in the room and Xerxes little eyes bulged. "Thank you for opening the door though. I have a bit of a problem with locks you see." He squeezed tighter and felt the small body give way to his strength. There was a sickening snap and he released the creature. Xerxes body fell with a thud on the cold floor and Diriel licks his fingers, tasting the blood on them.

"Poor thing. But I need your master all to myself now." Diriel waited until chuckled softly. "Mozenrath." He whispered in a sing song voice. "Mozenrath. Come out come out where ever you are."

The last notes echoed through the Citadel corridors. And as they entered the library, Mozenrath's head shot up from the desk. He felt a sudden burning on his arm and looked down at the strange signatures. They were glowing. "Shit." He growled and rose from the chair.

"Oh don't get up on my account."

Mozenrath felt as though something had slammed into his chest. His body was thrown back into the chair and down to the floor. He coughed and shook himself all over. "How…" he coughed through the dust. "How did you escape?" he shouted and glared back at Diriel.

The daemon did not answer verbally, but held up his hand. Inside it was a the hair he'd stolen while caressing Mozenrath's features.

Mozenrath grasped his locks as though he were dreaming. "But…but I did not give you permission to leave!"

Diriel let out a coarse, cold laugh. "You didn't order me to stay either. That and this little hair were all I needed to break free of your little holding circle." He threw the strand down and advanced on the sorcerer. "Come now. Aren't you going to run?" he grinned, those vicious fangs showing themselves again. "I would be sorely disappointed if you didn't lead me on a merry chase Mozenrath."

"This is my Citadel!" Mozenrath hollered, the blue black flames of his gauntlet igniting in the air. "I will not run from you or anyone." He summoned his power and flung it full force at Diriel.

The demon frowned as the fire hit him, scorching his perfectly golden flesh. "That was rude of you." He grimaced at the affected area. The skin had pulled back to show bare muscle. He waved his hand over the wound but nothing happened. "I have been separated from my dominion." He muttered. "I need energy to heal myself." He turned and looked at Mozenrath through long lashed eyes. "Come here Mozenrath." He ordered.

Mozenrath did not answer, but blazed his gauntlet like an inferno. "I will not see my slave disobey me." He frowned and again launched his fire against the daemon. Magistellus ducked moved forward, seeking the advantage. Mozenrath met him head on, but he wasn't ready for the strength that barreled forward at him. The daemon looked long and lean, but there was a power house of muscle behind the thin frame.

Diriel slammed him into the book shelf, sending pages and bottles flying. Mozenrath lifted his leg and landed a kick against the daemons ribs, giving him enough room to bring the flaming glove forward for another strike. This time it landed in the face. Magistellus screeched and reared back, clutching his features.

Mozenrath lifted his hand to deliver another blow, but gasped in horror as Diriel lifted his head. The flesh again had disappeared, leaving the naked muscle and blood popped out. It was disgusting. Diriel grimaced, a look marred by the fact that half of his face was gone. "Now look what you've gone and done." He snarled and lashed out at the sorcerer.

The fist connected, sending Mozenrath across the floor and against the wall. He moaned as he tried to stand again, only to fee a stronger hand grab him by his hair and haul him up. He reached behind, trying to pry Diriel's hands off him to no avail. "Let go!" he hollered but the daemon twisted his grip.

"You know your going to be a very difficult toy to keep. Much too willful. I can see that already." He grasped Mozenrath's face and forced him to look into the disorienting features of his mangled face. "And this…" he grabbed the gauntlet from Mozenrath's hands and ripped of in two, the sound of fabric tearing echoed in Mozenrath's mind.

"No!" Mozenrath screamed.

"…will have to go." Diriel chuckled and picked up the pieces. He focused his power and the gauntlet dispersed. The daemon looked at Mozenrath with a triumphant grin. He yanked Mozenrath back into a painful arch and trailed a claw along his body. "Now then. Where were we?"

Mozenrath did not scream as the daemon forced his lips down. He slammed his tongue deep into Mozenrath's throat, tasting his cheeks and tongue. Blood from Diriel's open cheek oozed out onto Mozenrath and down his neck. It was the worst sense of invasion the sorcerer had experienced in a long time, and he felt his gut churn at the thought.

He suddenly hit the floor, belly to the stone and a great weight clamored atop him. He did not bother to yell against the action, though Diriel's claws were seeking an opening in his cloths. He looked desperately among the debris for something that could be of use to him.

Diriel cried out in triumph and he tore the belt off, ripping the pants from Mozenrath's hips and baring the lower half of his body. "Now I know this isn't exactly formal." He said apologetically, caressing the pale thigh. "But we'll have time to play together later."

At the same moment the daemon prepared to thrust forward, Mozenrath lay his hands around a silver handled knife.

He plunged it in as deep as he could, aiming for the small space between the pelvic bones. Mozenrath was no knife fighter, but he made his aim. With a deft twist he broke it off inside Diriel's body and kicked against the cut, driving it in deeper. With a roar the creature let him go, clutching at his thigh for the handle.

Mozenrath pulled his pants on frantically and rushed out the door, his head still swimming as he tried to find safety. If he could make it to his laboratory, he had items there that could trap a daemon of Diriel's caliber.

If he could make it.

Diriel gave a low, rumbling growl as he rose up from the destroyed library. "They never can just make it easy on themselves can they?"

Mozenrath ran up the stairs as fast ash he could manage with a dizzy head and aching body. He had changed his mind half way and was no longer headed for the lab, but back to the tower where Diriel had been brought forth. If he could figure out how to rearrange the symbols he could do away with trapping the daemon all together and just send it back from where it came.

The first thing he saw in the room was the crumpled body of Xerxes, his little familiar, lying on the floor in a bloody heap. "No…Xerxes no!" he wrapped a hand around the small creature. "What did he do to you?" he whispered softly.

There was a short, gurgling sound, and what Mozenrath hoped was Xerxes mouth opened. "Locks…" the little being hissed.

"What? What about locks?" Mozenrath asked.

"It…has trouble…locks…" The gurgle turned to the sound of someone being drowned in their own blood.

"Mozenrath…my little lover." The voice called down the corridors. "Now don't you think this has gone on long enough."

Mozenrath jumped up from the ground and slammed the door shut, bolting it fast. He back up just before something slammed into the wood with tremendous force. The resulting roar was loud enough to make ones ear drums burst.

Then, a soft, sweet whisper. "Mozenrath…" It purred outside the door, the sound of claws scraping against the metal frame. "Mozenrath…come out now little kitten. Come out and I promise not to hurt you."

"Pfhht! Like that's going to work." Mozenrath grimaced as he stepped around Xerxes body and looked down at the summoning circle. It was a problem. The signals were completely botched, and the circle would have to be completely redrawn in a perfect circle for there to even be a hope. Even worse. The blood had dried. And without his powers he had no way of reattaching it.

He would have to do everything fresh.

Mozenrath pulled his turban off his head, letting the ebony locks flow down his cheeks. He looked at the ruby red jewel in the middle and pulled it out, revealing that it was attached by a pin. He humped. The point was dull. It would hurt more. He raised the needle and began to press into his fleshed finger.

The a horrible crunch sounded over head. A chip of plaster fell to the floor beside the sorcerer and he backed away. "Damn it all." He muttered. The creature had left the door and was trying to break his way in through the ceiling. He would have to do this in another room. There was no way he'd have enough time to finish in here.

He carefully creped over to the door as the plaster continued to fall from above. One by one Mozenrath undid the locks, listening every moment for some clue that Diriel knew he was escaping. Nothing but the continued knocking answered his questions. Finally, Mozenrath slid the last pin from the door lock.

And was suddenly seized and thrown to the floor.

"Shit!" Mozenrath gasped as a great weight lay down upon his body. He looked up into Diriel's ravaged face and wanted to scream.

"Enough of this!" the daemon called. "You've given me some fun, but I'm tired of the games." He flipped Mozenrath over and seized hold of the sorcerers wrists, squeezing painfully on the skeletal digits. Mozenrath let out a yelp of pain and felt the hard touch of the demon's other hands tearing through his covering.

"No! I will not let this happen!" he yelled and kicked, fighting with all of his might to get lose somehow.

Diriel backhanded Mozenrath into the ground. His eyes swam and he groaned, unable to see straight. A strong set of fingers suddenly encased his bone hand and held it tightly. "Wait…! What are you…?" A nauseating snap echoed in the room and Mozenrath screamed in anguish. Diriel released him and Mozenrath clutched his bent and broken fingers to himself.

The daemon shook his head. "You made me have to do that you know." He caressed Mozenrath's cheek caringly and kissed his forehead. Mozenrath was still too busy looking at the now twisted figure of his fingers to notice.

He barely responded when Diriel pushed him onto the ground and tore the clothing away from him, leaving pale, white flesh exposed to the room. The daemons horrifying visage grinned greedily as he spread Mozenrath's legs apart. "Such perfect flesh. I am going to enjoy every moment of this." He called and raised his phallus.

Mozenrath pushed against his attacker with his good hand, eyes shut. He was in too much pain to truly resist anymore. He could feel the hard, massive erection at his dry entry, pressing forward with painful persistence. He began to beat on Diriel with all the strength he could muster, but it was too late. He felt his muscles resist and a piece of himself tear at the harsh entry. It was literally like being broken into.

Diriel made a grunting noise and forced Mozenrath to spread his thighs wider. It must have been ages since the sorcerer had been taken. He was as tight as a vise grip. With a great heave the daemon shove himself into Mozenrath's warm, enclosed body and yelled in conquest.

Mozenrath's scream caught in his throat. He arched, spasmed, and shivered. All that finally managed to escape was a low, agonizing moan of defeat. He bit his lip and squinted his eyes shut as his tight little body was forcibly pushed open, the flesh inside contracting as if trying to push the invading rod out. That only made it worse. He could feel the raw rubbing of flesh against flesh breaking him further and whimpered.

"It will get better." Diriel moaned out and began to thrust harshly in and out of the man. "But you need to be punished for behaving so badly against your master."

Mozenrath felt a hard, scorching fire begin to wash over his body. Not the warm, passionate fire of lovemaking but the cold, searing fire of unready penetration. Deeper and deeper Diriel forced himself inside, making Mozenrath spread to accommodate him. Bad enough he was dry, the daemon was truly huge, his girth alone enough to split a body in two.

Diriel groaned and began to feel his power regaining inside. He pushed in and out with quickened pace, allowing his body to gather whatever power it needed. Slowly, while Mozenrath cried beneath him, his skin regrew, turning his face back to it's wild feminine beauty. Mozenrath looked up into the stunning features and moaned, turning his face away.

It seemed to take forever, at least for Mozenrath. But finally Diriel groaned and began to ruthlessly buck against the pained sorcerer. With a great, shuddering yell and slammed himself as far in as he could, listening in joy as Mozenrath screamed at being pushed too far. He orgasmed, spilling his thick white seed inside Mozenrath's body.

With a sudden movement he slid out, leaving a horrible hollowness behind. Mozenrath yelped and shivered, his back pressed against the cold marble. He closed his eyes, tried to focus, but his body would not stop it's instant shaking. He could feel the wetness between his cheeks and hips, and knew he was bleeding badly. Diriel reached down and smiled, evidently pleased with his handiwork.

"See now. Was that so bad?

Mozenrath crouched into a fetal position and wept.


	3. Chapter 2

"And so…my people. It is with a joyous heart…that I present to you…you new ruler…Sultan Aladdin!"

Aladdin waved just as shyly as he first had while the insatiable crowds cheered his name. Jasmine held his hand from behind, a bright and happy smile on her face. 'See…they know you're from of them." Jasmine whispered in his ear, holding his arm close. "They know you will always keep their best interests at heart come hell or high water."

"But…being responsible for so many people…" Aladdin looked down. Nothing but a sea of faces he couldn't even make out from upon the high balcony. "Jasmine…I've ever only been responsible for myself."

"That's not true." She said as her father continued to make his speech. "You've saved lives of this city and others countless times. The people look up to you as their savior!" he kissed his cheek. "You've been training in politics for the better part of a year now. With a little court time you'll be fine. And besides, father has consented to stay on in an advisory capacity until you've got the hang of things."

"And you'll be here?" he asked, a questioning look in his handsome brown eyes.

Jasmine smiled. "I will always be here Aladdin. To support you in all you do as your Sultana…your wife…"

"My love." Aladdin whispered and showed off his charmingly crooked grin. Jasmine nodded mutely, her heart thudding against her chest.

She'd had her doubts at first. Already, as heir apparent, Aladdin was coming under close scrutiny from the councilors and other kingdoms. His being of common birth did not help his situation. They remained in awe of his heroic exploits and determination, but wondered if this brazen street rat was ready for the mantle of the throne.

"He is a good boy and his heart is in the right place." Had been one advisors opinion. "But he is not educated enough to take on the full weight of the crown. You, your majesty, have been preparing to stand beside your husband as co regent of Agrabah and it's provinces ever since you were a child. You were read law books instead of children's bedtime stories. Your waking moments were spent in study and judicial governing. His were spent in…"

"Scrounging off the street to survive." It had not been Jasmine's voice that spoke in Aladdin's defense, though she had been prepared to do it. It was the Sultan's. The council quieted as the elderly man raised his voice.

"I have spoken with Aladdin in private many times. We here…safe and secure in our noble estates and holdings, can not possibly imagine the daily strife and degradations those not lucky enough to be born wealthy endure." He stood and somehow managed to look every councilor in the eye. "Children who can only half fill their bellies with stale or maggot eaten bread, mothers who must beg off others to try and feed a dying babe, husbands forced to steal to support a family and then come home with their arms lobbed off, their poverty stricken kin how doomed to death."

This was the harsh cold reality. The truth of a street rat's life. It was fun when you were dodging guards and managing enough to eat. But sooner or later, you had to return home to the gutters, where the buildings were crowded so close they kept out day light. Where the walls did not keep out the freezing cold of a desert night. You trusted no one, for they would kill you for scraps of meat on a bone. A knife was on every corner, and a mugger down every dark alley.

Jasmine knew she could never completely understand the world Aladdin came from. It was so vastly different from her own. She was not a foolish, or vain princess. Not like many of the others she'd met. She truly cared for her people, she would die for them. But for all her noble birth she could not understand them. She could not live as they had lived and know how to fix it.

But she was in a position of power enough to marry one who did.

And love him even more for being one of them.

The advisors had conferred and agreed. Aladdin would become Sultan after due training. Until he was ready however, The Sultan had agreed to stay on and keep him down the right path.

_Aladdin is the best thing to have as a Sultan._ Jasmine told herself. These blue bloods, their rules and vain pride…she could handle that blindfolded. But Aladdin had bled the same blood that now watched him ascend the throne. He had suffered through bad economy and war as only those who can not defend themselves can. And, when he had found a djinn and could have taken it all for himself, he did nothing but risk his life on a tri weekly basis for them.

Aladdin was set up to become the most beloved Sultan in history.

_I will be there for him through everything._ Jasmine hummed as Aladdin kissed her and went to make his first speech to the people. No notes, no script. He had rejected any proposition to allow his words to be dictated for him. Aladdin would speak from the heart as he always had. Nothing else.

"Your husband will be a fine ruler."

Jasmine looked to see his father's lover, Queen Hippsodeth standing beside her, dressed to the nines in a Galifemme version of court attire. Despite the peaceful occasion, it could be seen that the warrior queen kept a knife strapped to her thigh as well as a clever long pin to tie her hair back. "I believe so Queen…"

"Ah…but we are fellow rulers now. We may address each other in less than stiff formal ways…Jasmine." Hippsodeth smiled and winked.

Jasmine retuned the warm smile. In truth, this seemingly hardened war woman had become a second mother to her. She knew that as soon as Aladdin was fully settled into his new role, the ex-Sultan of Agrabah was running off to Themascara with his wild, winged horse riding lover. In her heart she wished them all the best of luck. "I have always thought of you dearly Hippsodeth." She admitted.

"Oh? Even when I kidnapped you and tried to make you into a Galifemme?" The two women laughed lightly. "You know…on the level of business between our kingdoms…some of my troops have expressed a desire to be on Agrabah's guard."

"Really now?" Said Jasmine with an eyebrow arched. "That would be…interesting…" she tilted her head slightly to the thoroughly over maculated Rasoul who now stood to one side, protecting the new Sultan.

"I know you have no fighting female troops here." Hippsodeth said casually. "There will be those who come to challenge Agrabah's new breed of rule. Having a street rat on the throne is more than unconventional. It's unheard of."

"Perhaps the more unconventional we are the less people will question it." Jasmine concluded and nodded her head. "Tell those who wish it that Agrabah's Sultan and Sultana will welcome their skills in battle with open arms."

"And the bulky fellow over there?" The Galifemme Queen pointed to Rasoul with a jab of her thumb.

"Will get over it and treat them like every other warrior." Jasmine stated firmly. "Besides…I'll have to get used to having other women around sooner or later."

"Ah…you mean the harem."

So they had finally hit upon that sordid business.

Jasmine sighed. "I doubt it will be for a little while. I haven't even managed to get pregnant yet." She touched her perfectly flat belly. It was common courtesy not to give a reigning Sultan slave women until after his Queen was impregnated. This was an unwritten rule, not always obeyed, but given Aladdin's precarious position Jasmine doubted they'd receive a lush flower girl on the doorstep tomorrow.

"But eventually other Sultans will begin to send their third and fourth princesses, their concubine's daughters, female prisoners of war…" Hippsodeth said the last with a sniff of disgust. There was some bad blood there. "How will you welcome them?"

"It's high right as Sultan…if not high duty to have many women and therefore produce many heirs. More than half our nobility is composed of my half brothers and sisters…cousins…fifth cousins…" she rolled her eyes. "The list could go on forever."

The Galifemme sighed. "I suppose so."

Jasmine smiled…knowing what her fellow Queen was thinking. "In case your wondering…father has given the members of his harem a stipend from the treasury to live off of for the rest of their days. He did it about a week after your first date."

"Really now…?" Hippsodeth suddenly seemed to stand a bit taller. "So…I suppose that means Aladdin will have to start his out from scratch."

The two women glanced at each other and began to laugh rather loudly. A few advisors looked over at them, but did not ask question. Women, who knew why they did what they did?

The crowd gave an enthusiastic cheer, signaling that Aladdin had finished his speech. Being a coronation affair, a feast was declared through out the kingdom. Food in such abundance that even the beggars would go home with full bellies. Though most of the people would eat on the propped table in the marketplace bellow, lower ranking nobility and the royal court would attend in the dining hall, awaiting the presentation of their new royal couple.

The first thing Aladdin received as he entered the hall was a heart smack on the back from his large blue friend. "Way to go little buddy!" Genie punctuated each word with flair as a big brass band erupted from behind him and colorful bits of paper exploded. They began playing a slightly off version of 'Hail to the Chief' while Genie made up with words as he went along.

"Thanks Genie." Aladdin chuckled and tried to restore his turban from where it had fallen. He felt a little more comfortable now with his friends in place than in front of thousands proclaiming himself as ruler.

A sharp whistle rang through the hall. "Check out the fancy duds." Iago perched on Aladdin's shoulder and inspected the fabric. "Chinese imported silk. Nice stuff…you know you could get a good knock off down on 42nd St. for half the price."

Jasmine shooed the bright macaw away. "This is 100 real Iago." She assured him. "I wouldn't put the new Sultan in anything less."

"Come on Jas…" Aladdin blushed brightly. "You know I'm never going to get used to this whole Sultan of the land thing. It's feel so odd to have people bowing and saying your majesty all the time." He looked directly at a young page, a boy no older than nine carrying a bowl of fruit towards the banquet hall. He gasped as Aladdin smiled at him and accidentally dropped the bowl of fruit on the ground, spilling things everywhere.

Aladdin's face went warm but Jasmine just laughed. "Silly child! He won't bite you." She reached forward and helped set his basket right as Aladdin collected the fruit. The child murmured a shy thanks, intentionally not raising his eyes to meet theirs and scurried off as fast as he could.

"See! That's what I'm talking about!" Aladdin shook his head. "When I was just your husband people treated me differently."

"Well you are Sultan now." Jasmine said.

"That boy…" he gestured to where the child had run off. "His father is Amdahl, the stable hand. I used to go down and share a bottle of wine or some simple conversation with him whenever I had the time. Yesterday I came by to ask for a horse to ride and he bowed so low his beard scraped the floor. He wouldn't meet my eyes or refer to me as anything but 'Your majesty' or 'Sultan Aladdin'."

Jasmine sighed and looked around the hall. They still had a few minuets before anyone would expect them in the dining room. "Aladdin come here." She pulled him off into a side room and locked the door behind them.

"Jasmine wha…" She placed a soft finger against his lips and shushed him.

"Aladdin what is happening now is a sad but unavoidable fact. No…" she made him stop before he could speak again. "Aladdin you are…weather you like it or not…no longer a street rat. That means you loose all the carefree…cavalier privileges that come with it." She rested her head against her husband's chest. "We are the royals now. Your children, their children, and their children's children will be born into privilege as long as our line continues. It's a trade –off. You have given up everything the common man once had…and in return you are bestowed with power over thousands of lives and the security of knowing that your lineage will be forever blessed with the same."

"Seems like a weak trade." Aladdin murmured and Jasmine chuckled.

"It may now…" she pressed his hand to her belly. "But when you watch me swell you'll be happy to know that our babies will be provided for."

Aladdin closed his eyes and kissed Jasmine longingly. "I'm sorry…I'm being so selfish."

"No you're not. You don't like the duty but you're accepting it anyways." Jasmine could smell the heat and wildness of the desert sands on his flesh. No palace perfume of Asia, no incense or spray could cover that wonderful scent from her nose. Something stirred in her chest and traveled down ward, boiling in her stomach and tingling through her pelvis. She looked up at Aladdin with her large hazel irises and willed him to see what she was thinking.

_I love you._

_I know this is hard, I know your doing all of this for me._

_But I see what you can do for our people._

_And I love you._

Aladdin gently caressed her chin and whispered 'I love you.' in her ear. He moved his fingers across the nape of her neck and down her back, clutching the cusp of her hip as she ground her thighs into his. "Jasmine…" he moaned and began to move his soft lips down across her cheek and over her neck.

"Aladdin…" she whimpered as his hands quickly found a way under the layers of clothing and between her hips. They played gingerly along the outer rim of her tight little pussy, teasing the wetness with a single, probing finger. Jasmine hiccupped and giggled as he began to run his lips against the crest of her wonderful breasts.

The her turned sultan gave a low, breathy chuckle and slipped one breast out just enough to uncover the nipple. As his mouth lowered, his hands lifted, picking Jasmine up against him and setting her down on a wardrobe, skirts pulled up around her waist. "Aladdin…their waiting for us." She warned, her sense of duty returning for a brief instant.

Aladdin slipped two fingers deep inside her body, wriggling them around slowly. "Let them wait." He whispered in her ear and sent his ravishing tongue against her dark, perky nipple. Jasmine's mouth opened in a shriek but Aladdin covered her lips with his hand. "But they will come looking if they hear us." He grinned and began to slip his fingers in and out of her little wet slit.

Jasmine bit her lip and closed her eyes, leaning back against the wall as her love continued his pleasuring of her body. It amazed her how much he enjoyed this. When she was younger, and the search for a husband just beginning, her old wet nurse had warned her about men.

'Some are like dogs, rutting with their tongues lolling out and thrusting like fools.' She smiled suddenly, a strange, dreamy look in her kind old brown eyes. "But some simply know where to touch…how to play…and take true enjoyment in their women." She had sighed and finished dressing Jasmine for the latest prince set to court her.

_He knows where to touch._ Jasmine's voice caught in a scream as Aladdin found the small, hidden nub of pleasure at the top of her delicate femininity. Without another word he bowed his head, resting her hips on his shoulders and pulling her pink silk onto his strong mouth.

Aladdin's tongue slipped along her folds as though he would never tire of tasting them. He loved the little twitched and curves of her body as they moved and responded to his advances. He rubbed a hand along her rump, squeezing tightly and raking his nails gingerly across her flesh. He could feel her clit hardening in his mouth already and her juices flowing more freely. He opened his mouth to drink Jasmine down.

"Your majesties?" A voice from out in the corridor called. "Sultan Aladdin… Sultana Jasmine? Where have you gone too?"

Jasmine gave a sharp squeak and Aladdin came up from under her dress, his cheeks bright red and chin glistening. "Someone's come looking for us." She whispered hurriedly and hopped off the wardrobe, her knees weak.

Aladdin groaned but helped her pull her skirts straight and fix the tiara now tilted on top of her hair. "We will continue this later…" he promised quietly as they opened the door and headed out for their reception.


	4. Chapter 3

Diriel reached across and pulled Mozenrath into his lap, forcing him to lie across the legs like a cat. He reached down the sorcerers naked, freshly washed body and began to stroke him up and down the spine. He had learned much about his new toy over the last few weeks, enough to make him the most interesting play thing he'd had in centuries.

First of all, Mozenrath was decidedly cat-like both in appearance and mannerisms. To begin with his long, leans body was capable of arching and writhing in so many flexible positions that it was mind boggling. Diriel was still discovering new and amazing ways to twist the soft, warm body to his own. Another thing was how Mozenrath simply could not stand to be dirty. Though he did not lick his own skin, he did preen, or rub if he felt filthy. Of course the sorcerer only did this when he thought Diriel was not looking.

Why?

Because any display of something so submissive and feminine seemed to drive the demon wild with lust. He would take Mozenrath on the spot, forgetting that he was dealing with a mere human.

Well…not exactly a human. He had figured out that much. No human could have withstood the amount of pain Diriel forced on him the first night. No human had the capacity for as many hours of raw play as Mozenrath had been made to endure. No this beautiful, cat like creature must have had some demon or elemental blood within him to take and take and take and still not crumble.

That also meant that Diriel would have to be exceptionally careful. Nothing was more deadly than a beaten, cornered, and frightened daemon.

Ever since he'd realized this, Diriel had been very careful with his actions over the pretty Mozenrath. Oh he had not stopped his use and abuse of the body, but was careful to give enough time for recuperation afterwards. He had even managed a small band of trust in the shot time they were together. Everyday, no matter what mood Diriel was in, he would bathe, feed, and decorate the sorcerer to his hearts content. This showed the sorcerer that he would be cared for as long as he was compliant. He had even been so kind as to repair the skeletal hand he had snapped on their first night together.

Oh and how compliant Mozenrath had been. The first time had not broken him completely. It had taken eight days of non stop, brutal penetration to finally cow Mozenrath too him. It was not until the pale lily had, on sundown of the eighth day, lain in a pool of his own blood and begged Diriel to stop that the demon relented.

And now.

Mozenrath lay quietly on the daemons lap, the soft feeling of pressured, strong hands petting down his spine felt quite good. No one had ever indulged his feline tendencies before. Destain found them repulsive and uncivilized. The vulture had finally tried to break him of it one day when he was caught preening himself after their coitus. He'd worn a leash and been made to crawl about on all fours for a solid month, eating off the floor, defecating on the dunes outside.

Repulsive and uncivilized.

_Well fucker you certainly knew the meaning of those words. _Mozenrath mused and sudden felt as his ass arch high in the air. He groaned, the daemon had found his spot. Right above the cusp of his rear, where a tail might have been sticking out, was a little invisible circle. Any touch there made him raise up like a queen cat presenting. Mozenrath turned a bright pink and instinctually nuzzled his face into Diriel's golden thigh.

"Oh my…what an adorable little display…" Diriel cooed and began to stroke the spot again and again.

"Please…" Mozenrath whined. The oddest little sensations were creeping up and down his body. He began to rub his cheek against the warm body, his chest rumbling in an awkward purr. His hands stretched out gingerly and began to kneed at the soft weave of the carpet under them.

Diriel chuckled, but his eyes were glowing red. "You know Mozenrath… you look decidedly fuckable right now…" He growled out and bent down to Mozenrath's back, putting small nibble marks along his neck line. The sorcerer could only arch again as the extreme enticement of his feline self was played with. Diriel had yet to discover all of the little hot spots that made up his slave, but he would take exact delight in figuring them out.

The daemon chuckled softly and pushed Mozenrath down onto the floor. The sorcerer muffled his sobs into his arm and allowed himself to be positions exactly how the daemon wanted. He didn't have the strength to resist right now. Just letting it happen would be better. Mozenrath controlled his breathing and relaxed his anal muscles, preparing to let in his masters length and girth.

Diriel frowned. His toy was becoming too willing. He didn't enjoy that…no not at all. It was no fun to take what would be easily given. True Mozenrath would find no more enjoyment out of it than before, but for the sorcerer to lay so placidly went against the grain.

How could he do that? Diriel wondered silently. How could he lay down and take this again and again and not be broken. The body was broken to him but Mozenrath… some shred of the sorcerer clung on with giant claws. He would catch sometimes, as he lay atop Diriel, forcing the young wizard to look at him. Diriel could see fire…burning, hateful fire in the back of those dark eyes.

But how to quell the blaze?

He could torture him…it would be delightful to hear how loudly he could make the pale, beautiful being scream. But then again he would run the risk of over exerting the half demon…making him more dangerous to deal with.

He smiled suddenly, an idea creeping into his mind that just couldn't be resisted. With a soft hand he slowly rubbed against Mozenrath's shoulder, gripping down firmly. "Little kitten…"

Mozenrath gasped and jerked around, facing what he had thought was Diriel. But no, laying now atop him was much worse. "Des…Destain!" he cried and pulled away. The psyudo-Destain laughed, eyes glowing red and Mozenrath grimaced against it. "No…please… Diriel please." Mozenrath whimpered. "Haven't I been doing as you wished? Haven't I been obedient?"

"Yes indeed. But your beginning to ignore me little kitten. I like my victims writhing against me, enveloped in their own ceaseless, blissful agony." Diriel in Destain's form said. "So if you've become too used to me as myself…I'll just have to use other methods of making you wail."

Mozenrath gave out a prolonged whine and covered his face. He didn't know how much longer he could stand this. "What can I do to keep you from doing this?" Mozenrath asked from behind his fingers.

"You will bend and cleave to my will if I wear a thousand faces at once." The Destain thing said. "What should it matter if it is this face or that face that you must look at? Why should it matter?"

Mozenrath shook his head, unwilling to give up more information. Daemons were adept at using yourself against you.

"Why?" Diriel thundered, his great black horns sprouting from his head again, eyes blazing. "Why does this face hurt you more?" Mozenrath still did not answer, but curled more into his own body. The daemon raised his arm, bringing a hard back hand to Mozenrath's cheek.

The sorcerer screeched and held his face, the sting traveling across his lips. He looked down into his palm, a small trickle of blood leaking from where the claw had cut. "Why does this infuriate you master?" he asked mockingly with his last bit of bravado.

"How dare you...you little whelp." Diriel snarled out and wrung his fingers around Mozenrath's neck. "I'll wring the secret from your skinny little neck!" he threatened, but Mozenrath, for the first time in days, gave a little smile.

"Kill me and you'll head right back to your abyss." Mozenrath whispered and suddenly found himself thrown against a pillar, his back cracking backwards.

He earned it right for that one. By the time dawn had come around Mozenrath could no longer feel his jaw or rear. He coughed violently, a mixture of white and red gunk coming up from his raw throat and landing on the sheets. Mozenrath whimpered and rubbed his head lightly. Two small patches of hair had been ripped out from the sheer violence of it and his neck ached. He looked over his shoulder lightly. Diriel was sound asleep back in his magnificent golden fleshed form.

Mozenrath sneered and sniffed himself, making a face. He stank of sex and blood. He knew he wasn't allowed to leave the bed without Diriel's permission, less the demon wake up in a mood and not have anything to take it out on. But he just felt so dirty. And he, even as Mirage's son, was not cat like enough to bend and lick everywhere he wished to clean. Nor did he really want to.

If Diriel woke up and caught him he'd plead that he merely wished to be clean for his master. He couldn't stand this sensation any more.

Mozenrath was surprised, and a little bit proud of himself as the warm water flowed into the large tub. He wasn't allowing the daemon any more than he had to. His body was forfeit, he couldn't avoid that no matter how he tried. But his mind and spirit (however damaged) was still his own property. As long as Diriel did not figure out how to control those, he had some hope of resisting.

Mozenrath slipped into the warm, steamy water and let out a low moan. He dipped his head under and emerged, automatically feeling better. He scrubbed and scoured his body until the first few layers of skin had disappeared and rubbed his long, curly black hair till it shone in the candlelight.

A sense of relief flooded him and he sank down under the surface, closing his eyes and holding his breath. He was feeling a little better now, and opened his eyes, watching the patterns of white light dance across the inside of his large private tub. The smell of sandalwood and lavender permeated even through the water and Mozenrath could 'smell' it. It was Diriel's choice, this strange feminine mix. He preferred something like green tea and mint.

Mozenrath closed his eyes and felt his stomach churn. He suddenly felt very…odd…like he was being pulled deeper. He rose his arms to find the edge of the tub and pull himself up. But it was not there. He turned around. There was no wall of smooth porcelain behind or beneath him. Mozenrath looked above and saw a great, blazing light.

_The sun._

_How was that possible?_

_He swam towards it and breeched, looking around in what seemed to be an ocean, boundless and forever. A screech caught his attention and Mozenrath turned as a great shadows flew overhead. Before he could dive the massive claws closed around him and lifted him from the waters. Mozenrath writhed within them like a sea snake, turning twisting, the sharp talons cutting into his skin as he tried for freedom. _

_But the more he tried, the harder the golden eagle clutched him. Finally his back was slammed down hard against rock and the wild red eyes glared down hungrily at his body. Mozenrath screamed as the craw opened wide to swallow him whole. _

A hand gripped Mozenrath from under the water and he came back from his vision, forcefully pulled above the water. Mozenrath choked and gasped for air, his vision a little fuzzy. He turned and jerked away, recognizing Diriel's figure leaning over the tub. "M…m-master." He stuttered out and Diriel chuckled softly.

"You know I don't like you to leave me in bed Mozenrath my love." Diriel said softly, his ruby eyes shimmering.

"I'm…I'm sorry master. I wished to be clean for you." Mozenrath fumbled for his excuse and pulled away from the daemon, intending to get out of the tub.

"Now now. No need to rush things." Diriel smiled and slipped into the water, warms stretched out to give Mozenrath full view of his magnificent, inhuman body. He took a bottle of soap and flicked it between two fingers casually. "Come now Mozenrath, bathe your master."

Mozenrath gulped but did not refuse, taking a wash cloth from the counter. Diriel tsked him.

"Use your own body…and please, take your time." He commanded and handed Mozenrath the bottle.

The sorcerer closed his eyes and pulled out the cork, pouring some of the thick liquid soap into his hands. Diriel wanted a show. He wanted to see Mozenrath humiliate himself again. And so, with no options left to him, Mozenrath stood there, wet hair clinging to his cheeks, water just barely covering his no-longer-private region, and soaped himself down.

When the suds had begun to bubble Diriel took Mozenrath by the hand and used Mozenrath like a human wash cloth, forcing the sorcerer to rub seductively across his body, washing every last inch till it shown as brightly as a flame. Mozenrath whimpered as a hardened erection touched his back, demanding attention. He looked back at Diriel and the daemon nodded.

Mozenrath closed his eyes and pressed his head to the creatures chest, taking the erection in his hands and stroking it reluctantly. But Diriel was not done with Mozenrath. "Down." He ordered, ignoring Mozenrath whimper. "I said down slave…"

Mozenrath gasped as he was pushed to his knees, his lip even with the hardened cock. "Please…Diriel…" he choked back and Diriel grabbed a handful of his hair and pressed him closer. Mozenrath took a deep breath and opened his mouth as best he could. He was still too sore and hoped that his master would not press in too deep.

Diriel chuckled as Mozenrath's warm tongue began to work over his shaft, his plush, accommodating lips providing excellent suckling action. "Excellent." He whispered, stroking Mozenrath's hair. He hummed and began to thrust slowly inside Mozenrath's mouth, his firm grip on the young wizards head keeping it still. Mozenrath felt his jaw lock up again and tears squeeze from the corners of his eyes. He was forced to tilt his head back, taking the massive shaft deep into his throat and breathing frantically through his nose.

When Diriel finally ejaculated into his mouth, Mozenrath knew better than to spit it out. He snapped his lips closed, avoiding the urge to vomit and swallowed the thick seed. He gave a distasteful shudder and wished desperately to be left alone.

"Well done." His master said above him and picked the sorcerer up. "I have a surprise for you my Mozenrath." He kissed Mozenrath's cheek tenderly. "A gift for performing so well tonight." He said.

"Master Diriel shouldn't have." He murmured and felt loathsome inside. _I'll die before I take pleasure at the thought of your gifts like a harem girl._ He mused inside his own head.

Diriel hummed and sat Mozenrath down on a stool in front of the mirror. "Now, close your eyes, and no peeking until I say so." He ordered and Mozenrath obeyed.

The touch of cold, hard metal soon slipped around his curved waist. Mozenrath's waist was almost too slim to be male. He had kept his figure, through the disorienting days where Diriel had starved him into submission, and rewarded him with over indulgent amounts of food. More metal came around his wrists and ankles, then his neck and hair. He moved, uncomfortable with the sudden weight and heard little bells jingle around him. The soft tissue of his ear lobe was grabbed and forcefully thrust through with something sharp. Mozenrath did not even yelp at the pain. It was nothing by comparison.

"Now…you may look." Diriel said with an amused tone.

Mozenrath opened his eyes and looked at himself in the full length mirror. Gold dripped from his body wherever it could hang. When he moved it sounded like birds singing outside the window. Any other being on earth would kill to have such ornaments bedeck their body. But to Mozenrath they were just shiny reminders of his imprisonment and slavery.

"Well…" said the daemon Diriel with a strange sounding voice. "Do you like them?"

"Master…is…kind!" With the sound of glass breaking Mozenrath fell to the ground, clutching himself in sobs.

Diriel began with a low, callous laugh. "Whatever is the matter my dear…my love? Do you think you'd prefer silver…bronze…" with each naming the metal on Mozenrath's skin changed. "Or perhaps just go with good old fashioned iron." Mozenrath looked down at his body, the hard, crude gleam of shackles and manacles now all over him. He shook as though having a fit and began to swing his head side to side.

"Now you see…" Diriel spoke softly, caressing back Mozenrath's hair from his pierced ears. "You are a slave here. My slave…"

"No!" Mozenrath reared back, unintentionally baring his teeth like a ferocious lion. There were canines, small, but fangs none the less, proof of his heritage. He stretched his fingers, revealing small, devilish claws from the tips. "No! I will never be a slave again!" he hissed. "I will never be under another's will! You can force my body Diriel, but you can not make my mind and soul bow to you!"

"Oh? Can't I?" Diriel laughed and advanced on Mozenrath. "Did I come here of my own accord?" he asked. "Did I speak the spell and open the portal to bring myself here? No. A human must be the one to do that. A human must open the paths ways for my kind to enter this world. I did not ask to come here…I never do."

"What do you mean by this?" Mozenrath asked, eyes wide and frightened.

"It's your fault you stupid little idiot." Diriel said finally. "You summoned me…not even fully knowing what I was…what I could do."

"But…but…but…" Mozenrath stammered.

"You brought me here…you were stupid enough to let me escape…You couldn't even resist me when I tried to give you my love…" Diriel accused in a confident voice.

"No. that's not true! I resisted you! I fought back with everything I had!" Mozenrath snarled and took a slash at Diriel. The taller daemon caught his hand and tossed him to the ground.

"But not well enough. Tell me Mozenrath…is your failure my fault…or your own? I took you…but who allowed himself to be taken? I petted you, but who allowed himself to be petted?" Diriel stroked Mozenrath's silky hair away from his face. "I gave you gifts…" he snapped his fingers and the manacles once again became gold jewelry upon Mozenrath's body. "And did you refuse it?"

"You'd have killed me if I did…" Mozenrath muttered, but his confidence was becoming weaker.

"If I kill you I go back from whence I came.' Diriel shrugged. "You and I both know that."

"This…this is not my fault…" Mozenrath slapped his hands to his bleeding and sore ears. "This is not my fault!" he yelled.

"Denial ain't a river in Egypt love." Diriel snapped cruelly. "What are you to me little Mozenrath?"

"I'm your harem girl…" Mozenrath said with sudden realization, looking down at his gold. "Your concubine…" he spoke it so softly, as if in a trance. Diriel gave a hearty laugh…so loud it was almost a roar. "Master…"

"How your ego astounds me!" the daemon slapped a hand to his forehead and looked bemused for an instant. "A harem girl…concubines…these are people with status Mozenrath. You are nothing but a skinny stripling of a wizard who defeated a pitiful old man out of his power. You have no birthright to this land or this Citadel." Diriel ran a finger under Mozenrath's cheek and made the sorcerer look at him. "Your nothing…but a whore."

"N…" Mozenrath started to protest, but in his own head he stopped. Hadn't he used his body to get what he wanted? Destain had made his apprentice bend more than once, but towards the end, as his power was growing, Mozenrath had given his body willingly. He had come to Destain at night, letting himself be fucked, and then shyly asking to know 'such and such spell,' or 'how to do this particular incantation'.

He was a whore.

Diriel knew human emotions, where was their strength and weaknesses. "There there my Mozenrath." He cooed and tucked the weeping man into his encompassing arms. "You may be a whore…but you are my whore. And I will not give your body to another. You are mine and mine alone."

Mozenrath stammered out a 'thank you' through his own sorrow. After all, what other kindness could a whore expect from his master? I'm…I'm sorry if I've been disappointing my master…" he said…and the terror of it was that he meant it. "I will try…very hard…to please you better."

Diriel nodded. "Good boy." He said. "Continue to please me…prove your loyalty…and I may marry you…" Mozenrath closed his eyes and, without thinking, pressed his lips to Diriel's. The daemon seemed shocked for a second, but soon pushed back with fervor, slipping his warm, rough tongue into Mozenrath's mouth.

It was many hours later when Diriel looked back over at his whore and spoke to him. "I have decided…that this shall be my kingdom." He arched a brow, waiting for the response he expected. But Mozenrath merely shook his head in a 'yes master'.

"It is better that it is yours." Mozenrath stated when asked. "After all…what does a whore know of kingdoms and dominions?"

Diriel's eyes narrowed in pleasure. "Very good. Of course it will need a great deal of fixing up before this diminished place can be presentable to the other lords of the Seven Deserts." He ran a golden finger across the wall of the master bedroom. "There is dirt here an inch thick."

"I could clean it…I have had to clean before…" Mozenrath offered in hopes of being useful.

"No my love." Diriel sighed. "I shall have to raise a small army of ifrits to make this place suitable."

"M…more daemons…my lord?" Mozenrath bit his lip.

"None like me Mozenrath. Two lust daemons in one kingdom…I shudder at the thought. Besides, didn't I promise to keep you as mine and mine only?"

"Yes master…forgive me." Mozenrath said and prostrated himself before Diriel.

"You are forgiven." Diriel said absentmindedly and looked out over the balcony towards the west. There was a golden topped spire climbing high into the clouds from a tower of white. "There…" he pointed far off in the distance and Mozenrath looked. "What is that city?"

"That? That is Agrabah my lord…" Mozenrath said with a small trace of disgust in the back of his mouth.

"Agrabah…yes. Seems like as good a place as any to start." Diriel did not catch the tone of his slaves voice but saw Mozenrath's questioning look. "I will reach out my hands in peace to the Seven Deserts." He explained. "I do not enjoy war…"

"A lover not a fighter." Mozenrath said and ducked, expecting reprove.

Diriel merely laughed. "True enough. Besides, I have conquered this land…and it's whore…" he smiled at Mozenrath, his great daemon fangs showing as though he would bit flesh from Mozenrath's body. "They will not question my power." He waved his hands and a small, grayish ball of light burst forth.

"An air ifrit!" Mozenrath exclaimed as he viewed the tiny, whipish creature within the glowing sphere. It had large, black eyes and a body that seemed to be made of ever moving vapors.

Diriel puffed up his chest slightly. At least this time he had someone who appreciated good magic. "Take a note to Agrabah's Sultan. Tell him that the old lord of the Black Sands is conquered and the new master here wishes a friendly audience to discuss a possible treaty between our neighboring lands. I will hold a banquet in his honor in two weeks time."

The ifrit gave a low hiss like tea boiling in the pot and wafted out the window towards the sunset.


	5. Chapter 4

"All I'm saying in…" started Iago as the caravan headed for the Black Sand border. "It's pretty suspicious that somebody managed to defeat Mozenrath and we don't hear anything about it up till now." The scarlet parrot looked over at Aladdin and Jasmine, making sure they were listening.

"We've that in mind Iago." Aladdin said tiredly. The macaw had been resistant on coming ever since he saw the little air ifrit.

"Those suckers are daemons…lower class, but you still gotta be a pretty powerful sorcerer to summon one up." Iago had stated.

Aladdin had flipped it off at the time, but the more he thought on it, the less he liked the situation. He did not have a good track record when it came to wizards. The only time he had ever successfully made friends with one was once, and that guy was missing his head. Well…not missing, more like intentionally misplaced.

Might he be jumping from the frying pan and into the fire?

But then again, that didn't seem a wizards style. They tended to be very straight forward about things. If this new ruler meant them any harm he would have come to the front gates of Agrabah and done it, not given them two weeks notice. Besides, this was an excellent opportunity to prove himself to those nay-sayers back home. If a sorcerer more powerful than Mozenrath had risen, it might be better to make a treaty now than risk open confrontation later.

Aladdin sighed opening at the frustration of it as Jasmine smiled from atop her own horse. "Missing the old heroic days where you could ride atop carpet and face a possible enemy head on?" she observed kindly.

"Don't you?" he asked and Jasmine fanned herself thoughtfully.

She finally nodded and looked off into the dunes. "There is no doubt it was easier than politics." She admitted and gave Aladdin her hand. "But…"

"I know I know! Sultan…responsibility…duty to country…" Aladdin grinned shamelessly at his flagrant disregard for policy. Jasmine tried not to smile, but it was useless. "You encourage me too much." He warned playfully as Iago made a retching sound and flew off ahead.

"You're my husband. That's my privilege." She said and blink her eyes shyly.

Aladdin shook his head and kicked his horse into a canter ahead of the retinue. He was beginning to get used to this new life as a Sultan. He was slowly realizing that, as his own ruler in his own damn palace, he could do as he pleased. No more throat clutching silk collars (unless he was attending a banquet or court) he no longer allowed servants or even slaves to scrape the floor when they saw him but was satisfied with a simple bow and 'Good morning'.

And he had plans for the people of Agrabah. Big plans. But they would take time and trust to carry out. He had time…but trust was harder to come by. The people loved him and most of the nobles grudgingly accepted him. He could get support from outside his own kingdom, but that wouldn't look too good in the long run. What kind of a Sultan had no friends among his own?

That was half the reason he had finally sent a reply to this Lord Diriel, accepting his invitation. What better way to bring the nobilities approval than a mission of diplomacy and peace. It was a delicate tactic, especially if he was right and they were dealing with another sorcerer. It would prove him capable of handling the reigns.

Aladdin was determined to see this whole affair go successfully.

"Al!"

Aladdin looked up to see Iago flapping towards him top speed, mouth open. "Iago! What is it? A trap?"

"No…it's…it's the Black Sands…your….there's no way your gonna believe this!" The bird dove straight into Aladdin's chest just as Jasmine arrived to see what all the commotion was about.

"Trouble?" she asked as though expecting it. They had no just brought flattering retinue with them, but guards enough to make an escape if it came to that.

"You won't believe me…" Iago started to say but Aladdin was already over the dunes, his horse galloping to see what had the parrot as close to speechless as they had ever seen him.

He came within an inch of falling off his horse at the sheer awe of it.

"Aladdin what…" Jasmine felt her jaw drop in quite an undignified way as her eyes met with the sight of what had once been a dilapidated city.

Where had once stood the dark, fearsome towers of a citadel was now a vast and exquisite model of Persian architecture. Beautiful white walls topped with red banners and a golden eagle slaying a cobra…the symbol of the new ruler of the Black Sands. Though many of the buildings were still in poor condition, people…real people now walked the streets purposefully, carrying wood or nails, wares and produce.

"He managed all this in two weeks?" Jasmine said suspiciously.

"Well…obviously it had to take longer than that. The Lord Diriel probably just wanted to make sure his palace was finished before he invited over fellow blue bloods." Iago observed clandestinely and Aladdin smacked the bird lightly away.

"It's just so…surreal." Aladdin said as the rest of their entourage appeared at the edge of the city. "It's as though Mozenrath never existed." He whispered as they traveled through the main street, waving to the children playing with little wooden horses and hand sewn dolls. A small troop of entertainers were dancing for coins, the sounds of drums and flutes rhythmically filling the air.

"Isn't that for the better though?" Jasmine said as a little girl selling flowers walked over to her Jasmine kindly bought one and put it in her hair. "They say you can judge a man by the way he treats his inferiors." She mused and looked to Aladdin smilingly, despite the worry on his face. She finally caught his eyes and looked through them questioningly. "What is it?"

"Someone said something to me one: 'Appearances can be deceiving.'" Aladdin said passively and shook it off. He still could not get rid of little quirks he'd picked up as a street rat. It was the nature of the poor to mistrust and despise the rich. Hate them for being born into what they have. Aladdin knew he was being irrational. If Lord Diriel had defeated Mozenrath and turned this desolate land into such a thriving metropolis, then he certainly deserved the title of Sultan.

Aladdin just had a few hang-ups to get over…

That was all…

"I thought master preferred to stay…ready…" Mozenrath said questioningly as he handed Diriel clothing for the arrival of the royalty.

Diriel nodded as he fixed the half sleeves to his arms and cinched the tight to stay in place. "It's true I do prefer to remain in the nude. I've never liked fumbling with clothing when I'm ready. But these folk are not you my love…" He cupped Mozenrath's chin and kissed his lips fondly. "I'm afraid the sight of my real self may frighten them off…and then where would I be?"

Mozenrath said nothing but continued to help his master prepare. In the past two weeks Diriel had raised a hundred fold little daemons and spirits to help with everything, but no matter how many he brought forth, only Mozenrath was allowed as his personal servant. He wore nothing but the jewelry the daemon had given him the night he'd realized his true nature. Even when people arrived over night, he was forbidden to wear fabric over any part of himself when Diriel was with him. None of the other daemons glanced at him unless they had too no matter how little he was clad in.

They would not touch what was so obviously their masters.

"You look lovely Mozenrath." Diriel said and Mozenrath felt his body grow cold.

He knew something was up. A night or two ago, the Hades spawned beast had ordered a tailor made dancing outfit for Mozenrath, something that complimented his exotic and feminine features. It left almost less to the imagination then if he'd just gone naked. Diriel was showing off…but for what purpose? Surely he wouldn't parade Mozenrath in front of Agrabah's Sultan…the daemon jealously guarded his life line to this world.

"Ahem…?" Diriel arched an eyebrow when Mozenrath refused to respond.

"Oh…thank you…lord Diriel." He said and bit back a whine as Diriel stroked his buttocks. The harsh claws lipped past the fabric and between his cheeks, separating them so as to expose his back entry way. Mozenrath fell helplessly against the daemon for support as a hard, questing finger probed him demandingly.

"We have enough time little whore…" The daemon said as he rammed another finger in relentlessly. Mozenrath yelped in pain but did not resist. He balled his fists up tight and bit his own lip. Why did it always have to hurt? Hadn't he been taken enough by now to forever stretch his body? But no…his blood lines betrayed him yet again. Diriel's rod was too massive to enter without hurting him and his elemental heritage healed him quickly. Every night his tight little sphincter had to be re broken, though the roughness depended on what mood his master was in.

At least this time he was using fingers first.

A sudden blast of heralding trumpets pushed through the air and Diriel gave a half growl…half sigh. "Later then…" he assured Mozenrath, letting the relieved sorcerer fall to the divan. He looked to the mirror and let out a long, stressful groan. To Mozenrath's amazement the great black ram horns began to uncurl, slipping away into Diriel's head. The redness of his eyes dimmed and became a smoky, clever umber. The golden hue of his skin lightened, but only slightly enough to seem normal. The claws retracted into well groomed and manicured nails and Diriel hummed, satisfied with his appearance.

"Well then…" Diriel looked at Mozenrath. "A kiss for luck my love." It was not a request. Mozenrath took Diriel's hand submissively and planted a kiss there, his eyes not lifting. As Diriel walked out, Mozenrath followed. Unbeknownst to Mozenrath, the daemon was smirking to himself inside. He had been quite frustrated when his usual methods of breaking had failed. Most men he took…human men anyhow…were bent to his will after their first sadistic session with him. Their bodies forever opened for his massive phallus. But for all the physical pain he could bring Mozenrath, the frail looking sorcerer bore it internally. He would scream just as loudly as any other, but when the night was done and his body began to heal, those infernal black eyes would rise up to challenge his authority.

The flesh was submissive, but the spirit burned like star fire.

Then he had found something. Diriel was quite fond of wandering his captives homes and had been doing just that when he had come across a small, shabby bedroom. Their were fleas crawling like an infection across a rough straw bed, a chamber pot, a small bed stand and chains against the wall. The window had long since been broken and the shards lay on the floor, one of them in particular caught his attention. A particularly crooked looking glass that had dusty red stains on the edge. He had bent down to take a closer look when something even more interesting had caught his attention.

A box under the bed containing colorful bits of string, shiny pebbles, and a leather bound journal with scrawling he could barely make out. Diriel had not taken long to realize who exactly owned this diary and grinned at the thought.

But what frustrated him was Destain. The old wizard had mentioned his pupil a few times, but only in passing as an obstinate and reckless child who needed a thorough whipping. Diriel had passed it over, he wasn't interested in children. But looking through the journal the daemon had realized something.

Mozenrath was dangerous to him.

The boy was powerful at an age where most still fumble with the basics. He had written of his former masters abuse and rape of his young body. Terror, which comes so easily to children had grown to anger…resentment…and hatred as the child Mozenrath grew to an adult. He let it burn and churn in the pit of his soul, seething while he played submissive to the lecher who taught him.

Most men carry a grudge.

Mozenrath nurtured it like a wounded pet.

That was when Diriel realized he must break Mozenrath entirely. If any degree of pride of strength remained in the young mans will, he would eventually find a way to destroy Diriel or send him back to his own world.

And the best way to break someone like Mozenrath was through pride.

He had managed it. Diriel had taken great pains to bring out Mozenrath's true nature as the little whore he was. He had been unsure at first and tested Mozenrath daily, seeking some spark of the pride he wished to extinguish. He saw nothing visibly, but his senses, and years of knowing the way of human beings told him it was still there, seeping under the surface like a parasite waiting to be let out. Perhaps Mozenrath didn't even know it was there. But that in and of itself was a danger. If the sorcerer rediscovered what he could do…

_I must break him. I must find some way of giving him abject humiliation. _Diriel thought as the continued out to the courtyard where Agrabah's retinue was.

Mozenrath had kept his head down, but now looked up out of curiosity, expecting to see an old man and his usual, burly chief guard. He squinted, not entirely sure who could be riding. With a sudden gasp Mozenrath recoiled, hiding his body behind his masters. _No! No please not him…Please Ra if you have any love left for me don't let him see me like this!_

Diriel did not have time to wonder about the sudden queer behavior of his slave as the Sultan of Agrabah walked up to him. The two men bowed to one another politely and shook hands, exchanging the usual amount of pleasantries.

"I have to hand it too you Lord Diriel. In such a short time you have managed so much!" Aladdin congratulated him warmly and Diriel nodded in thanks. The daemon turned his head slightly as he noted the beautiful young woman coming up the steps.

"My Queen." Aladdin said by way of introduction. "The Sultana Jasmine."

"Lady…" Diriel took her hand and made a slight bow, kissing the back of the palm charmingly.

Jasmine smiled, but a sudden cold had grasped her at the moment his lips had touched. "We…are pleased to see a suitable lord upon this lands throne." Jasmine said without skipping a beat. "You will have to regale us with you account of it."

"Undoubtedly." Replied Diriel with a sly, secretive smile. "But surely you are weary. Please allow my manservant to show you your rooms." He gestured towards Mozenrath and stepped out of the way to show him off.

Aladdin tilted his head slightly as he saw the wild, erotic outfit Diriel had placed his servant in. Unusual attire for just a palace slave. But what confused him most was the face covering. He had seen the young man walking down the steps before and, though the sun blocked his vision, had been sure the young man wore nothing over his face.

The man did not speak, but his eyes seemed to dart quickly from Aladdin to Jasmine as if searching for something. After a moment he quickly bowed and turned away, gesturing that he was to be followed. Aladdin looked at his beloved but she simply took his arm and led them up, not seeming to notice anything out of place.

But Diriel's eyes were glued to Mozenrath. He kept glancing hesitantly back at them, then ducking if it seemed that the Sultan or his Sultan would look at him. He walked more hurriedly than usual, the slow, easy gait becoming franticly fast paced. The daemon arched an eyebrow, when the realization hit him.

_He knows them!_

"Truly Lord Diriel…" said Aladdin as they sat down at the dinning table later that evening. "I am impressed." He gestured to the food, piles and piles of exotic delicacies to please even the most delicate palate. "All of this just for our little kingdom?"

"Hardly little Sultan Aladdin. Even in your short time as ruler you have begun to expand your city's walls. I understand your starting new trades across the deserts to provide more work for people." Diriel complimented him. "An auspicious endeavor for one so young. Do you intend to make your regime one of speculation?"

"Do you?" Aladdin jibbed lightly and the two men shared a laugh. _Royal humor…sheesh. _

Jasmine caught the slight eye roll and giggled into her drink. She was actually quite pleased. Aladdin had covered ground in his study and was working his famous charm with this Diriel. It would have been better to have a full court present though…it earned better support if everyone knew where you stood. She looked down at the table, empty save for herself, Aladdin and Diriel.

"My nobles…" Lord Diriel said softly as Jasmine blushed red. "Have not yet found a safe route to this city." He explained and Jasmine set down her glass.

"I meant no disrespect Lord…" she said shyly and Diriel waved it away.

"Think nothing of it my lady. I would have postponed this until we had a full retinue, but I truly did wish to meet the famous Aladdin of Agrabah and his equally famous love Jasmine. It truly is an honor." Diriel was laying it on like molasses in February, but Jasmine was used to that by now. You couldn't get by without a little flattery.

"But all this food just for the three of us?" Aladdin pointed out. "You must be truly a wealthy country if you can afford such a spread."

"None of it goes to waste my Sultan." Diriel said casually. "What we don't eat goes to the kitchen staff. What they can't preserve they give out too the rest of the palace staff." He leaned forward and winked knowingly at Aladdin. "I always bare in mind there are those who do without so that I have all. I waste nothing."

Jasmine smiled in secret. She could feel Aladdin's smile turned more friendly as the conversation continued. That little remark had won points with her righteous husband, her man of the people.

"Please…on behalf of my kingdom…" Diriel snapped his fingers and a servant came forth holding a golden tray. "I would like to offer gifts to yours." The servant removed a red cloth and underneath were two black velvet boxes. "For the lovely Jasmine." He said and the box was ceremoniously delivered to her.

Jasmine opened the box and gasped. "A painite necklace!" she whispered as she lifted the beautiful piece of jewelry from the box. Set in the middle was an exquisitely cut gem that a person might mistake for a shock of amber. But when you got up close, one could see the tell tale signs of a true gemstone rare and enigmatic. The colors were similar, but in full candlelight one could see an almost flame like quality to the gem. "These are so rare…however did you procure one?"

"My homeland is home to some of the rarest and most beautiful gems in all the world." Diriel said casually. "I can not think of a citizen who does not own at least one good piece of jewelry." He gestured again and the servant directed himself to Aladdin. "And for the hero Sultan of Agrabah." He said.

Aladdin's eyes went wide. "Armor…" he picked it up, the chain linked metal shimmering beautifully.

"Mithril to be exact. Gained from a cousin of mine who lived in some mines for a while."

"It is a kingly gift." Aladdin said graciously and touched it. Mithril was supposed to be impenetrable.

"Thank you. And now, please…though my court entertainers are not yet in the city, my musicians are. And my manservant, I have discovered, is an accomplished dancer." He snapped his fingers and the group appeared along with that fellow who kept his head covered. As the band began to strike up, the pale young man began to move, his body curving and dipping in a most women can not even master.

"Beautiful isn't he?" Diriel said with a look at Aladdin.

The hero realized he had been staring. "Forgive me. I can't help but feel I know him from somewhere."

"Really now? Well…he has only been in my possession a short while." Diriel admitted.

Mozenrath moved as he had been ordered, providing entertainment for the three gathered. But no matter how his dipped and spun, he kept his eyes on the table, watching for any sign. He had been smart enough to grab the black wrap of fabric around his waist and compose a quick veil to hide his features. He would not be able to stand it if Aladdin and that damn princess of his recognized him. When did the street rat rise as Sultan? Why hadn't he heard about it?

_Because you are not ruler here any longer whore._

Mozenrath closed his eyes and shuddered. He was butting into things no longer his concern. Diriel was master here now. Let him worry about the Sultan.

"So…if I may ask." Said Aladdin politely just as the music was dying down. "How on earth did you defeat Mozenrath?"

"It took time. I admit the battle was long drawn out. I took several wounds in the process, but in the end I had beaten him down. He was…difficult to manage from there." Diriel said with a smirk.

But as the two men began to discuss the sorcerer, Jasmine's eyes were locked on the shy dancing man Diriel had claimed as a manservant. He was as graceful as anything she'd ever seen, his moves like ripples of the ocean against the shore. As his long legs and lithe limbs rotated, Jasmine caught a split second of eye connection and gasped silently. "Aladdin…" she whispered and touched his leg under the table.

He patted her absently and Jasmine kicked his shin. "What is it." He said under his breath as Diriel looked back at the dancing man.

Jasmine mouthed. _Mozenrath._

Aladdin tilted his head in an adorably clueless fashion. "What?"

The Sultana grit her teeth and roller her eyes, jerking towards the gracefully twirling figure. _Mo-zen-rath_! She said again and Aladdin blinked. "Mozenrath!" she finally whispered just as Diriel's attention turned back to them.

"Is there a problem?" he asked, taking in the look on the stunned Aladdin's face as his eyes darted from Jasmine to the veiled dancer.

"No. Not at all." Aladdin hesitated. "If I may be so bold…what exactly did you do with the sorcerer?"

Diriel smiled just as the music began to die down and his manservant began a final spin. He reached forward and plucked the face cover off, leaving his slave unmasked before his enemies.

Mozenrath hit the ground, covering his face. But he had forgotten the other give away of his person. The bone hand was now fully uncovered from among the fabric and Aladdin gasped in shock. _Don't look at me!_

A moment of stunned silence hung in the air.

_Don't look at me!_

He leapt up and ran for the door, clutching his shoulder like a frightened child.

"Mozenrath!"

His hand stopped on the frame and he shuddered, tears burning behind his iris. "Yes master." He whispered obediently and came forward, his cheeks turned ruby as Aladdin and Jasmine started in confusion. He knelt at the base of the throne, the sensation of Diriel's hand stroking his luxurious black hair making him twitch. He endeavored himself not to look at the heroes.

"Does his presence disturb you?" Diriel said to his two guests. "I will have him removed if it does…"

It was Jasmine who found her voice first. "You are of course entitled to you prize of war Lord Diriel." She said in a flat, even tone. Her eyes however did not leave the frame of Mozenrath. At any other time she would have found this situation funny, but…something was off. She could sense it in a way only a woman can. Aladdin might not have caught on to the finer things she detected. The erotic outfit, submissive posture, the way Mozenrath seemed to shake at his Lords touch.

She could say nothing now, too risky, but Aladdin caught her meaning and shrugged it off. "Looks to me like Moze is finally getting what he deserves." Aladdin smiled in a cavalier fashion and Diriel laughed.

_Don't look at me!_

Mozenrath felt a tear, singular and crystal like, fall from his eye and prayed that nobody could see.


	6. Chapter 5

"You couldn't tell could you?" Jasmine said softly when they were closed in their own rooms.

"Tell what?" Aladdin asked as he sipped wine. "That Mozenrath is finally getting what he deserves?"

Jasmine winced at the harsh inflection. "Maybe…but there were things Aladdin…things only a woman would notice." She shook her head and reminded herself of her position. What did it matter if Mozenrath was Diriel's slave? Just because she had woman's intuition didn't always means she was right. Diriel seems a good ruler, his people were contented at any rate. What was it to them if Diriel…used…Mozenrath. After all he'd done…tried to do…

Yes…he deserved it.

_No one deserves that._

Aladdin sighed and offered a glass to Jasmine. She tilted it back and drained the cup in one swallow. Aladdin arched his eyebrow and Jasmine gave a half smile. "I've been having wine at the dinner banquets since I was five love." She kissed his cheek and tipped her glass for more.

Aladdin poured, but only half a glass. "What kind of things?" Jasmine turned bright red and turned away but Aladdin shook his head understandingly. "Jasmine…" he started but didn't really know where to begin.

"It's fine…" she said suddenly. "I mean…it's none of our business…it really isn't." she smiled lightly. "Mozenrath's ways are just finally catching up with him. And I won't pretend it's not a comfort…"

"To know someone has got control over him." Aladdin chuckled. "Diriel is a pretty capable looking guy. I'm sure everything will be just fine." Jasmine tried to smile as though she were reassured. They tucked in for the night and it wasn't until Aladdin had wrapped a protective arm around her that the Sultana lay there, eyes wide open, the discomfort in her belly growing.

_It doesn't matter._

_It really doesn't._

She'd just have to keep telling herself that she was causing something out of nothing. It was just a fleeting observation…no more…no less.

It didn't matter.

Aladdin was awoken by a strange sound, one he had heard somewhere before. Civility had taken some of Aladdin's instinct from him. But there were some things, like sleeping so lightly a cat's paw would wake you up from six blocks away, that one just never got rid of. It took a moment, after his head had risen from the pillow and his eyes squinted open to identify it. It was a sound of sorrow and pain, low, barely detectible from amidst the little noises of a busy palace settling down for the night.

But he could still hear it. A mournful sobbing, coming from somewhere down the halls.

Some part of him deep inside said ignore it…lay down and go back to sleep. But Aladdin just was not that kind of man. He stood up, throwing on a caftan over his night bottoms and squeaked his door open, looking around. He could hear it better now, the buffer of the private suite gone. It sounded like an animal, a kitten perhaps in accolades of pain.

Aladdin wrapped his night cloak tightly and headed down the hallway, following the echoing groans as they reached his ears. A servant passed by a time or two, but Aladdin easily avoided their gaze. It was not till he reached the epicenter, behind a large pair of red and gold gilded doors, that Aladdin stopped, the sound near defining. Gingerly, he looked around for any signed of someone approaching, and put his ear to the door.

The sounds were muffled, but there was a conversation going on. He could make out two distinct voices.

"…tell me…?"

"Master…I….matter?"

"Not the point…" The sound of something breaking. "…lied to me…"

"Please…please Diriel…"

A scream slammed against Aladdin's ear so loudly that he jumped back, hanging onto his head. Another followed and then the sound of skin against skin, rough and grating. Aladdin crept closer, terrified of what else he might discover. He pressed his head back to the wood and metal, in time to hear three things. The sounds of exquisite pleasure, mortal agony, and footsteps heading for the hallway.

Aladdin leapt away as fast as he could, looking about for a place to hide. A large fern placed atop a marble column was just beside the doorway. He ducked for it and disappeared from sight at the same moment the door swung open. Aladdin could hear a rough, harsh breathing, so low it almost sounded like a growl. Very slowly, he turned enough to see who had made such a racket.

He was lucky, a yell caught in his throat.

_Daemon!_

Diriel stood there, his skin the same color as molten gold. Fierce red eyes looked from side to side in the hallway as he shook out his mane of glossy white hair. He growled and heaved his chest, the two black horns atop his head shrinking reluctantly back into his skull. His erection stood proud and massive, dripping with blood and seamen. He tuned back to the room he'd just come from. "Get some sleep. I'll be back to finished your punishment in the morning." There was a moan from the room and Diriel gave a cruel smile, shutting the doors and wrapping a heavy cloak around him.

Aladdin waited, breathing as lightly as he could until the sound of the daemons heavy foot steps had echoed far away. He stood up, walking almost as if pressed by another will towards the door, his hands landing on the icy cold knobs.

_Don't open the door._

But someone is in there. Someone is in pain.

_You don't want to see wha its in that room Aladdin._

His fingers hesitated, but only for an instant. He turned the handle and opened the doors. The smell of blood and sex hit his nose so hard that the hero recoiled. Aladdin choked back and covered his mouth with the edge of his clothing. "Hello?" he called out quietly. Nothing responded. He slowly began to step inside, his eyes finding the candles light around the room and drawing light from them. He shut the door behind himself, now knowing that it wasn't locked and began to search. "Hello? Is somebody in here? Please…if you're hurt…just give me a sign of where you are."

Aladdin's foot hit something wet and he jerked back, afraid of what it might be. It was thick and sticky and Aladdin looked down. Even in the dark there was no doubt what substance it might be. Blood…and an awful lot of it. "Hello?" Aladdin called out louder.

A soft sound, a mewing finally answered him. He looked for the source and discovered he only needed to follow the trail. He turned round the corner of the room and saw the saddest and strangest sight he would probably ever see.

Mozenrath, naked and pale as moonlight was laying spread eagle on a bed, blood coming from various wounds and slashes on his back, sides, thighs and buttocks. His eyes were tightly closed and the look on his face was one of born suffering. Aladdin stood stock still for a moment, not entirely knowing what to do. There was so much blood. It seemed to come from everywhere.

His heart acted for him. He removed the cloak from his back and threw it across the naked sorcerer, the thick fabric making little scarlet flowers from the life fluid. "Moze…Oh by Allah what has he done to you?" he whispered and reached forward to touch the sorcerers head. All of the sudden, Mozenrath's eyes opened. "Mozenrath! Mozenrath what happ…?"

A long, dark hiss pulled from his throat, like a cornered lynx. "You…!" he growled and Aladdin could have sworn he saw Mozenrath's ears flatten to his side.

"No! Moze please…I'm trying to help you Mozenrath!" Aladdin pleaded.

"No. You just want to see me…" he began to cough, a racking fit that send red blood and white seed every where. "…humiliated…." He finally choked and as little claws drew from his nails. "Is this enough for you Aladdin? Does it seem like I've bitten of a big enough piece?" He tried to rise and gave a pitiful whimper, falling back to the bed.

Aladdin winced at the sound of the harsh words and shook his head. "I didn't know it was like this." He began to wrap the cloak tightly around Mozenrath's body. "Moze I had no idea it was like this."

"You were glad…to see me brought down…" Mozenrath whimpered, his little kittenish teeth visible as he tried to growl and defend himself from what he saw as an enemy. "You laughed…" he forced his body up and pulled away, half falling off the bed as he hissed ferociously.

Aladdin watched as blood dripped from between his lips and a hard gurgle followed the defense. _Internal injury…probably pretty severe_. The man backed himself up against a wall, slipping on his own blood.

The hero in him shook with pity. Mozenrath was trying so hard to stay strong, but he could tell that the blood loss was too great. Mozenrath could not push himself up from the bed nor could he manage more than a feeble swipe at Aladdin. He made his face as soft as he could. "Come on Moze…" he said and gestured with his hand towards himself. "Come on." He lowered his voice and crouched down to the ground, making his body look smaller and less threatening. His fingers crooked in a coming gesture.

Mozenrath's eyes dodged wildly to both sides then stared back at Aladdin, looking for a way out. His faced looked for all the world as a feral cat defending itself. "No…no I won't…" he arched his back.

"Moze you idiot I'm trying to help you." Aladdin whispered as his ears listened for anyone approaching.

"You're trying to trick me." Mozenrath coughed out between words. "Your good at tricking people hero." He groaned, losing his balance and falling to the floor. His body gave a great, shuddering shake and his eyes closed, falling into unconsciousness.

Aladdin wasted no time. He bundled up Mozenrath as best he could and hefted him into his arms. He was surprisingly light for such a tall man. He opened the doors and glanced down both sides of the hallway, making sure no one was looking. He swung the door shut and headed down the halls, ears prickled, eyes sharp from his street rat days as he made his way back to the guest suits.

Mozenrath's eyes opened for a split second, chuckling softly as he looked up at Aladdin. "Guess I'm finally getting what I deserve eh Aladdin?"

Jasmine was shaken away, her soft hazel eyes opening to a horrific sight. Aladdin was covered in blood, his skin sweaty and eyes frantic. "Ala…"

"Jasmine…help." He whispered and gestured downward.

She was confused for a moment by the great bundle in his arms, but a pain filled groaned pulled for and she pulled back the covering to see a bruised and battered Mozenrath, still blissfully out like a light.

Jasmine looked from Aladdin…

To the wizard…

From Aladdin…

To the wizard…

"Put him on the day bed." She said suddenly and went for her belongings. While Aladdin settled Mozenrath onto the couch Jasmine pulled from her luggage a box made from polished cedar wood. She had, as a little girl, been particularly fond of her physician Dr. Alluhakbar and talked him into teaching her minor healing. Inside were bandages, salve, scissors, needles, thread, and even a mild opium dose to kill the pain. She shoved the box on the nearest table and very gently drew back the covers. "Oh…Aladdin…" Jasmine whispered as she stared in horror.

"Was he whipped?" Jasmine said questioningly as she set to work on the back wounds.

"No. A whip mark is clean, straight…had reddened edges where the flesh is swollen." Aladdin said in a dull voice. "These were ripped…into his body."

Jasmine went pale and grabbed a bowl of hot water and wash cloth, pouring salve into it. "Hold him please and keep him quiet, this is going to sting." She said softly. In the back of her head the more princess/politician self was working full tilt. Mozenrath had been punished for a reason. They were interfering with another Lord domain. They would be in deep for this one. But her hands ignored this clandestine advice and sough Mozenrath's care. She said with a gulp. "The edges of his skin are torn and there's slight…burn damage?"

Jasmine looked at Aladdin in question. "I owe an explanation." He said and took Mozenrath's arms, placing one under each shoulder and holding him tightly.

Jasmine nodded and pressed the heated and treated cloth to Mozenrath's back. The sorcerer jerked forward with a shocked whimper, but nothing worse. Jasmine set about rubbing the potion around on his body, not stopping until every little mark had been cleaned and cared for. As she worked, Aladdin told her things that, had she never met him, she might not have believed. When the word daemon finally came out, she damn near dropped her scissors.

"Jasmine…we have to get out of here." Aladdin whispered as she began to bandage him up.

"What about him?" she nodded towards Mozenrath. Aladdin bit his lip and looked from him to her pleadingly

"We…we can't leave him here Jasmine." He said suddenly.

"No. No Aladdin…" She shook her head. "Aladdin…he's Mozenrath!" she did a yell/whisper, her voice strained. "We can't bring him into the city. And at any rate he's Diriel's property…his right by conquest." She jerked her head in a strict no. "We can't! We'll risk the treaty with this city if we steal him."

"We could offer to buy him." Aladdin chimed hopefully. He wondered why he was being so insistent on this. It was Mozenrath for pities sake. Mozenrath!

A sharp, cold phrase rung in his ear. _Guess I'm getting what I deserve eh hero?_

Jasmine opened her mouth to launch another protest and Aladdin held up his hand, silencing her. With a deep blush on his face Aladdin looked pleadingly at Jasmine. "Jas…when I went in the room. The smell…there was so much blood and spent seed. Mozenrath was covered in it. He reacted like a frightened kitten." At first Jasmine tilted her head in extreme confusion, then the realization of it hit her. She had been right.

Mozenrath was being raped.

She had assumed the smell was due to the blood or infected wounds, but now there was no mistaking the scent of sex in the air. She bit her lip, considering.

"Jasmine…" said Aladdin pleadingly.

"We'll have to get out tonight." Said Jasmine suddenly. "Send Iago down and have him tell the caravan to move out of the city now. Leave anything we don't need." She looked down at Mozenrath, taken for an instant by such a frail, gentle looking little creature, wounded and defenseless, surrounded by enemies. "Put him in my carrier, I never use the damn thing anyway." She said with a sigh.


	7. Chapter 6

_Dust. The smell of dust and sand and movement. Frantic movement all around him. He could feel soft cushions under his body and silks draped over himself. _

I am asleep._ He though. _I am asleep in Diriel's bedroom again.

_Mozenrath started to turn over but the pain made him stop. His skin felt slightly constricted, as if something had been wrapped around his cuts. Odd. Diriel never bothered to fix his wounds. The daemon knew they would heal by sun up. Then he realized something. He was moving._

_A hand pulled back a thick curtain and looked in on him, checking the bandages and tightening them where needed. _"It's going to be all right Mozenrath." _The voice was warm and nurturing, but also decidedly male. Familiar. Why couldn't he recognize it?_

_The sorcerer gave a groan and fell back asleep, drifting back into his dreams._

_The eagle was there, it's huge beak opened to swallow Mozenrath whole. The wizard scream and thrashed, trying to escape the predators grip. But no matter how he seemed to move the eagles grip only tightened, pushing into his flesh._

_But then something else came. Something not there before. _

_A lion, a great powerful lion with a mane the color or sand thrust forward, his head slamming home into the giant bird. It roared, proud and tall as the paws closed around Mozenrath, pulling him away, pulling him to safety. The eagle rose, screeching and pressed forward on the attack, slamming into the lion with all it's might. The battle slammed predator against predator as Mozenrath lay against the rocks, waiting to see who would win to eat him alive._

_It was the lion to conquered, wrapping it's great jaws around the eagles neck to crack the bones into. The great bird lay dead, penetrating eyes looking still at Mozenrath in hunger. Mozenrath pulled away, shaking even through the warm heat of the sun as the lion raised it's bloody maw to look at him. _

_It was beautiful. Long tan body, great warm brown eyes that looked at him as though it had found…_

_…a mate._

_Mozenrath felt his cheeks blush bright as the lion pushed him down to the ground, his back arched his in the air. _

This is a dream. I am dreaming…

_Mozenrath moaned as the lion bit down on his neck, a hold meant to stead rather than break. Slowly, his little claws appeared, the sharp fangs in his mouth extending as the lion gently laid paw on his, setting up his body for mating. Mozenrath felt the feline within himself submit to it, his body reacting to the pheromones of natural instinct. He arched and gave a long, low, sultry purr, inviting, willing._

_The lion entered him._

_And a great warmth spread across his body. Pleasure…unlike anything he'd even felt before soared over his body in waves. He was bucked into, his fully cat counterpart, grunting and thrusting above him. Mozenrath whined at the sweetness of it and reached his hand above to feel the soft, fluffy mane._

_But the hair he felt was not cat…it was human. _

_A face leaned down beside his, thrusting and smiling as he gave Mozenrath pleasure so deep inside. Mozenrath's eyes went wide as the face became clearer in his climax hazed vision. _'You…" _he gasped as another thrust made his mind go blank._

"Me…" _Said Aladdin, his soft lips pressing to Mozenrath spine as he bit down hard. Mozenrath reacted instantly, his body screaming with sensations that wanted so desperately to boil over. "_Come for me Mozenrath…_"_

_Mozenrath felt his thighs tighten, his body succumbing to Aladdin's girth deep inside him. "_I…I don't know how…_"_

_Aladdin chuckled and licked through Mozenrath's neck, laying and hand against his bone one and intermingling them. "_Just relax…allow yourself to…it's alright Moze…I want you to…"

_Mozenrath's body made war with him. It had never been about his pleasure before. It was always about someone elses. He was just the soil you tilled. The receptacle for others needs. "_Aladdin…please…I can't…"

_Aladdin took hold of Mozenrath's body, his hand finding the nooks and crannies desperate for long absent attention. "_It's alright…I'll help you…"

_Mozenrath felt Aladdin touch him with gentleness unaccustomed, and screamed in ecstasy._

Mozenrath came awake with a shock, sitting straight up in the soft bed. He regretted it instantly, his head suddenly overwhelmed. He flopped back down and held onto his skull, the rattling in there hurting something fierce. He opened his eyes, gingerly looking around. Then something struck him.

The last thing he remembered was Aladdin…the street rat had been

_…on top of him._

No. that had been a dream, he was sure of it now. Something brought on by pain induced stress. The street rat had come into Diriel's private quarters and and…

…and brought him back to the guest suite.

Mozenrath's eyes flew open in shock. Bright, hot sunlight streamed in through the curtains of the balcony, touching his skin and filling him with a pleasant heat. The room around him smelled of lavender and sandalwood, the decoration light and friendly. He was lying in a bed with fresh white and blue sheets, a glass of water and some fruit were on the bedside table.

He was in Agrabah.

And someone was arguing right outside his door.

"The lack of common concern!" the first voice was unfamiliar to him. "The sheer lunacy of it!"

"You're over reacting." The second voice was dreaded common to him. Male, young, and certain of it's right. "We couldn't very well leave him there."

"Yes you could. You should have!" the voice was raised. "We have no right to interfere with another kingdoms policies…" There was a frustrated noise. "This is what happens when you put a street rat in Sultan's cloths!"

"Street rat or not, he is still your Sultan!" The second voice was female, proud, defiant. "And you will show him the respect due or you will find yourself wondering how deep our dungeons go!"

The voices quieted and Mozenrath heard footstep coming his way. He looked from the door to the balcony and moved.

Aladdin and Jasmine entered the room just in time to see Mozenrath leap over the balcony to the garden bellow. "No! Mozenrath wait!" he rushed forward and grabbed the sorcerer by the shoulder, yanking him forcefully back across the floors. The pale man slammed his elbows back into Aladdin's rib cage and tried to wrestle free from his grip. "Mozenrath stop…we won't hurt you!"

"You have!" Mozenrath hollered. "Do you have any idea what Diriel will do to me when he realizes I've run away!" he screamed and turned his hand around to rake Aladdin's face.

Aladdin caught Mozenrath's hand and tried to handle him gently, afraid of wounding the frightened creature. "Listen, you didn't run away!" he shouted, wrangling with Mozenrath on the ground. "Mozenrath stop flailing, your open your wounds up again!"

The sorcerer kneed and tried to wriggle away. But Aladdin was stronger than that He pulled Mozenrath's arms forcefully behind his back, pinning the man to the ground.

The dream arose, fresh in Mozenrath mind and he whimpered, closing his eyes to them. Aladdin felt Mozenrath's legs open underneath of him and blushed. "No. Mozenrath no I'm not going to do that." He said and the young wizard looked back at him. "I didn't bring you here for that." He said and tried to be reassuring.

"Then why did you?" _That's all I'm good for isn't it? _He thought as Aladdin pulled away enough to not be looming over him. "Why did you bring me here?"

"We…" Aladdin said sheepishly. "We were rescuing you." He looked over at Mozenrath. "I found you three nights ago, right after Diriel had…he was punishing you for something."

"I didn't tell him I knew you." Mozenrath said absently. "He doesn't like it when I keep secrets from him."

"You lied to him?" Jasmine said.

"Not exactly. I just didn't tell him." Mozenrath admitted. "I…I knew if he knew…he'd use that to humiliate me." He looked accusingly at Aladdin. "And it worked out well didn't it?"

Aladdin's cheeks went bright red. "Mozenrath…I'm…"

"No. Don't apologize. You don't have too. Your right." Mozenrath said and turned away. "I'm just getting what I deserve aren't I. I don't even understand why you rescued me. I'm just a slave now."

"What do you mean?" Jasmine said and Mozenrath raised his skeletal arm.

"He tore my gauntlet and then he tore me." Mozenrath quaked in memory of it. "It hardly matters. I'm Diriel's slave…his whore." He looked at the two, contemplating. "You'll be saving yourselves a lot of trouble to just kill me now."

Jasmine felt strange. Was this really Mozenrath? Had she made a mistake? His voice sounded so careless…as though he really didn't care on way or the other what was done with him.

"As long as I'm alive, Diriel will stay here." He said softly. "I suppose you've already discovered what he is?" Mozenrath was shamed as he admitted it, but it didn't matter. Once they heard the truth of it they'd behead him and be rid of two birds with one stone. "I was raising a daemon…" he said and Jasmine gasped. "…I got foolish and Diriel was the result. He's bound to me by blood now. You can't see it right at this moment but when he's angry, or when he wants to find me the sigils that I used to raise him appear on my arms. He'll know I'm here." Mozenrath slowly rose, looking from one set of eyes to the other. "He'll come for me. I'd rather be dead than go back…"

He had shocked himself by saying that aloud.

"Moze…you don't have to die…we're not going to kill you…" Aladdin looked over his shoulder and Jasmine nodded, if reluctantly.

"Then why did you bring me here?" Mozenrath asked.

"You were injured…badly…Mozenrath you were bleeding from so many different places…" Aladdin searched for a way to say it but couldn't speak. He was…a hero…a diamond in the rough. Maybe it was just in his nature to pity those in helpless situations even if they did hate him.

Mozenrath laughed. "Gods you are so good it's near saintly."

Jasmine turned red. "Why do you have to be so damn ungrateful about it…do you have any idea what we risked to save you?"

"And I just told you you're better off ending my life now!" He snapped back and suddenly felt his stomach churn from pressure. His wounds had not yet healed entirely. "Diriel will come for me and when he does you'll have no choice but to hand me over. No doubt your council is less than pleased about my presence already."

" It's not their right to be pleased or displeased." Aladdin said suddenly. "And it's not in my nature to just kill someone who's…" he wanted to say helpless but the word just didn't seem to fit Mozenrath's persona.

"So what are you going to do with me?" Mozenrath questioned warily.

"For now?" Aladdin contemplated. "We're going to heal your wounds and get you feeling alright. Your not allowed to leave this set of rooms unless Jasmine or I come and get you. Everything you need will be brought here." He instructed. "If you need anything, just make sure one of the servants comes to get us." He looked at Mozenrath for a moment, the curvy, almost feminine body stood, draped only in a thin night robe. It hid nothing in the early morning sunlight. Despite the air of nonchalant Mozenrath always managed his dark eyes looked haunted, afraid.

_He doesn't have black eyes. _Aladdin realized in a split second. _They're just so gray it looks as though he doesn't have irises. _

Mozenrath felt Aladdin's eyes on his flesh and gave an involuntary whimper, backing away.

Aladdin automatically pitched his voice, speaking in a low, calming tone. "There is clothing in the wardrobes. Just…just don't try to jump again alright?" he waited for some sign of assurance and Mozenrath gave a curt, jerky nod. "Alright. I'll be back to check on you in a little while." He promised and headed out the door with Jasmine.

As the began to leave, Jasmine turned her head to watch Aladdin's expressions, her eye brows arching as she saw the far away look in his eyes. She snapped around and looked at Mozenrath, who had not taken his eyes off the leaving couple. His breath was tense, his body crooked submissively towards Aladdin, though he may not have intended it.

Biting her nails, a habit she had not done since childhood, Jasmine clicked the door shut and worried.

Diriel threw the guest rooms doors open, his horns fully exposed and roared into the enclosure. "Where is he!" he snarled and began to sniff the floor where bloody footprints still lay. "Where is he?" he tore apart the little daybed, the scent of Mozenrath still thick on the cloth.

His Mozenrath was missing. He had already shredded everything in the room, searching for the missing whore when one of his servants had appeared, telling him that the caravan Agrabah had brought with them was now long gone. "What? When did this happen?"

"Last night by the looks of it sir." The little servant whispered.

Diriel flung himself to the window, looking down at the space that their tens were supposed to be in. Dozens of foot prints were all that was left of them, all headed East towards the golden tipped spires.

A lesser daemon might have roared or wasted energy by uselessly making things explode. But Diriel pushed away, sitting on a ruined couch as he began to slowly chuckle in thought.

"My lord?" the little servant said softly, looking at the daemon.

Diriel suddenly turned and held out his hand, forcing the servant to collapse. A horrified screeched filled the hallways and all within hearing distance stopped. As Diriel's magic worked it's way through the flesh of his slave seemed to melt away, revealing a strange, contorted figure. It's eyes glowed a mindless yellow and small brown horns sprung from it's head. Claws, wickedly curved as a scythe spread from it's nails and a whip like tail pushed out, snapping angrily. The new creature looked at Diriel and bowed in recognition.

Diriel stood. "Call for the rest of the city. We march towards Agrabah at next light." He said shortly. The little daemon chuckled shortly, hurrying to call for the rest of it's brethren. Diriel waited until it left and walked over to the day bed, picking up a blood stained bandage and sniffing it hungrily. "So little whore…you think you can escape from my grasp." He smiled and lapped the blood off of the fabric. "Well I know you well Mozenrath. I can smell you where ever you go. I will hunt you down no matter if you hide in shadow or light. And when I find you this time, nothing will ever take you from me side again…oh my love my Mozenrath." He said and the red signs on his arms began to glow angrily.


	8. Chapter 7

"Fatima!" A middle aged woman with brown hair called out of the window of her hut along Agrabah's borders. "Fatima!" she called again. Soon enough the head of a young girl appeared against the river bank, her hair wet. She was no older than ten. "There you are you reckless child. Where have you been I have been calling for an hour!" Like most mother, when worried she spoke everything at once.

Fatima smiled and wrung out her hair. "Swimming. Rajime was teaching me."

The mothers attitude changed almost immediately. "Ah, you mean the spice merchants son? Well then that is better. You know he will be a good match when the time comes to marry. It will be quite a step up from a fishmans child."

Fatima blushed. "Mama…I don't even know if I feel that way about Rajime…I mean he's two years older than I am."

"Ah but that will not matter when the time comes. Two years is little this way or that." The mother kissed her child's cheek. "You just go right on swimming with Rajime. Just be sure to be back before dusk."

"Ah ma. We live right on Agrabah's Western border. The guards come by three times a day. Nothing will happen to me." Fatima said and began to open the door.

For a moment, there was silence. Then the mother looked up from her knitting and screamed.

Her daughter turned stiffly, the front of her little yellow dress growing red. "Mama…" she whispered and fell forward, the end of a pike imbedded deep within her back. The woman screamed again, rushing to her child's side and clutching her closely, tears streaming from her eyes.

"Now don't move." Said a dark, hard voice from above her. "This will only take a second."

Mozenrath rose from the bed, shaking. The Agrabah nights were cold and he had little on. He finally walked to the wardrobe and looked at the cloth there. None of it was fancy stuff, but it would suit him well enough. He selected a pair of forest green pants and an amber dyed belt to go with it. He selected a thickened robe, also green with amber trim and a pair of black boots.

A part of him wondered why he was taking such care with his appearance now. At the Citadel, Diriel had let him wear only the jewelry which he'd been given. He did not dress himself nor was he allowed to have any will as to what was put on him. Diriel made all those decisions himself.

Now, Mozenrath realized, it was something of a comfort to be able to chose what clothing he put on. He found a ribbon and tied his hair back pulling the curls out of his face. He looked at himself in the mirror, and touched his own skin. It was strange. He was a vain man, took precise and efficient care of his appearance, but when the daemon had taken over he'd stopped caring. What did it matter what he though. As long as Diriel was happy with his appearance it wasn't his concern.

_It still isn't. _He realized and wondered why he'd put on the clothing in the first place. Oh yes, he'd been cold. There was no body beside him in the bed. Diriel, as much of a discomfort as it was to have a claw wrapped round his middle at all times, had at least provided some protection from the icy nights. Blankets were no equal to a body.

He shivered again and closed his eyes.

Mozenrath missed touch, connection. There had always been someone there in the loneliness. Mirage…his mother, however distant had at least been there. Destain, however abusive, had at least been there. Xerxes, the annoying little blighter, had been there. Diriel…

He felt himself beginning to cry again. He wanted to slap himself. Why couldn't he stop weeping like a damn woman! Worse, like a weakling. He knew he was not strong. He had never in his life been a strong person. He was a survivor. Bare it for now, live, make it through, and do what you must to get what you need. That was Mozenrath's philosophy.

But he had always fought not to cry.

And now he wept. Wept to be so alone.

Mozenrath slapped his hands across his arms suddenly. He watched as the marking appeared, glowing red even in the dark light and casting a sinister glow around his face. He sighed, wincing at the pain. He had known it would come soon enough.

Mozenrath opened the door and caught site of the large, burly guard that always seemed to maintain a sour disposition. "You…" he pointed, not completely sure of how to say this. He had no authority here…but then again he was growing used to that.

The guard paused and fingered the hilt of his sword. "You were ordered not to leave the rooms."

Mozenrath took a step back. "I haven't. Technically I'm still in them." He gestured down. His feet had not left the doorframe.

Rasoul rolled his eyes and grit his teeth. He had been stationed here specifically in case something happened. "What do you want wizard?"

Mozenrath closed his eyes and pulled back the hem of his robes, revealing the evil reddened glow of his flesh. "Tell them he's coming." Mozenrath said as a look of horror crossed Rasoul's face. "Tell them he's close."

Aladdin was awake and sitting in the guest rooms now Mozenrath's. He looked carefully at the sorcerers arms, the red marks curving wickedly around the mans flesh. He took Mozenrath's hand and heard a sharp intake of breath. "Sorry…I just wanted…" he said shyly and Mozenrath shrugged as though he didn't care. "Do they hurt?" he asked.

"Like someone's drawing in my flesh with a fire iron." Mozenrath whispered and Aladdin stood up. He walked to the bathroom and took the washing basin, filling it with cold water and putting a wash cloth inside.

"Here." He said and pointed to the seat. Mozenrath cocked his head, not quite knowing what was meant. Aladdin sighed patiently. "Just…sit down…I don't bite." He tried a half hearted smile and Mozenrath warily sat next to him.

Aladdin put a cold cloth on the signal and steam immediately rose from the mark. Mozenrath made a hissing noise, but his face seemed greatly relieved. Aladdin waited a few minuets, always watching Mozenrath from the corner of his eye. Even with everything, he was still wary of the crafty warlock. However, thanks to Mozenrath they had a little bit of a warning about Diriel.

"Mozenrath…how long...?" he started in and Mozenrath turned his head away. Aladdin steeled his resolve and pushed forward. They didn't know how much time there was. "Mozenrath how long did Diriel…have control over you?"

The sorcerer looked at him. "He didn't volunteer information if that's what you're getting at." He said quickly. Aladdin looked crestfallen. Mozenrath tried to think of something else to say. "He couldn't lie to me…I found that out quick, but once he was free…I didn't exactly have time to ask a lot about him." Mozenrath felt his skin blush and tried very hard not to look at Aladdin.

"But surely there must be something. A weakness…something we can use to defend you…ourselves with." Aladdin pressed and Mozenrath's eyes suddenly seemed to brighten.

"Two things…assuming he wasn't lying about not being able to lie." Mozenrath gave a great moan as the wash cloth was re dipped and placed against another mark. "One…Diriel has a problem with locks. I don't know why. But when I was trying…" He didn't want to admit to it but what choice did he have. "When I was trying to run I locked a door behind me. He couldn't get it open and he couldn't seem to burst through either. He did try to come in over the ceiling, but I think that was just to distract me." He contemplated for a moment. "It may well be that once a room or door is locked he can't enter. You have to come out to him."

"That's good." Aladdin smiled hopefully. "Agrabah's gates have massive locks on them, if we bar the doors it might hold him off."

"I'm not sure if that counts. Agrabah doesn't exactly have a roof over it's head. What if he can fly?" Mozenrath brought up, his mind working furiously. "Still…I suppose it's worth a try. Your djinn can always cook something up I'm sure."

"Genie isn't here." Aladdin said sharply. "He's on his honeymoon with Eden."

"Who?" Mozenrath asked.

"The female djinn, the green one."

"You mean that psychopath that nearly tore my Citadel…! Mozenrath stopped suddenly. It wasn't his Citadel anymore. "Congratulations." He said with a little flicker of his old self and let Aladdin continue with the water. There was silence between the two for a moment, the sound of steam rising from the slashes the only noise in the room. "There…was something else." Mozenrath said suddenly. "It was in the spell so he couldn't have lied about it."

"What?" Aladdin asked.

Mozenrath coughed. "_Through writhing body/Thy passage born/Less wax and wane/Have vanished lord."_ Mozenrath quoted. "I am his passage here. Diriel needs constant access to my…" Mozenrath felt a swelling in his chest and swallowed his pride.

"To your body." Aladdin mercifully finished for him.

"Yes. If he can not take what he needs from me for a full month, than he'll loose his power. He won't be able to stay on this plain of existence." Mozenrath finished and leaned back against the pillows. "That's all I can offer." He said apologetically.

"With a little luck that might be enough." Aladdin said and sat back, thinking. They could lock the gates easily enough. Even without Genie, Iago knew Jafar's laboratory like the back of a wing. Maybe they could rig up some sort of roof or protective barrier just to be safe. And as for the month time limit…

They would just have to bit the arrow on that one. He would not send his people out to face this daemon if it was even half as powerful as Mozenrath said. He wouldn't risk lives over this man.

_Ah but you already are. _His conscious spoke up. _You risked not only your life, but Jasmine's, your guards, your armies, your peoples lives from the very instant you took Mozenrath from Diriel. And all for what? _Aladdin looked at Mozenrath from the corner of his eye. _A moment of pity for a pretty face. _

Aladdin opened his eyes wide and felt his lips slide open. _A pretty face._ He had not just thought that. It was a phrase…that was all. Mozenrath was just so damn womanly it was easy to confuse him as attractive.

The green color complimented him though. Far better than that nasty gothic stuff he always cloaked himself in. The deep, vibrant forest color seemed to make his skin tone richer, more alive. The amber added just a hint of exotic to him, enhancing that sly, almost fox like quality his face held. The front of the robe was left open, designed that way and Aladdin did not catch himself as his eyes wandered up the lean, toned abdomen, over the chest, and all the way to Mozenrath's face. With his hair pulled back and his features out from under the ugly turban, Mozenrath's features possessed a soft, sensual air.

Too pretty for a man.

Almost beautiful enough to be a woman.

Mozenrath realized he was being looked at in that way. He clutched his robe a little tighter around his shoulder and pulled his arm out of Aladdin's hand. The younger man had subconsciously begun to massage the palm with his thumb. The gesture had been comforting…even friendly. His breath began to stammer and he slipped to the edge of the seat away from Aladdin.

Aladdin realized he'd been doing something very embarrassing. "Sorry…I had no right."

"Yes. You do." Mozenrath stammered out, taking a very deep breath. Aladdin looked at him, not understanding. "Diriel was my master…I belonged to him. You kidnap…rescued me…that means I belong to you I suppose."

"Mozenrath, that wasn't my intention when I brought you here. I mean…I didn't even think for a moment that you might think I meant to…" Aladdin was awful at explanations.

Mozenrath shrugged. "A whore is a whore. What does it matter who the master is." He said and looked back at Aladdin, a little light in his eyes that almost dared the street rat to try something flickered for a moment, but died out quickly.

Aladdin rose to defend his honor, but at same moment the doors swung open. It was Jasmine, dressed in her more efficient black warrior princes outfit. "Aladdin, we don't have much time. A messenger from the outskirts has come with news…" She could feel the air in the room as thick as pea soup. "Aladdin…?" she said in a voice that betrayed the emotion inside. "Aladdin what's wrong?" she said.

'Nothing." He said quickly and tuned back around. "I've got good news. I need to find Iago and have him look up some stuff." Aladdin began, following Jasmine out of the room. He paused at the doorway, and did not turn, but spoke quickly. "I am not that kind of man Mozenrath." He said sharply, deeply insulted.

"And what kind would that be Aladdin? The kind that would not lay with another man. Or the kind that would not rape him?" Mozenrath said only to hear to door slam shut behind him, leaving only the cold walls and empty chambers to close around him again.

"We need to work quickly now." Aladdin said from atop Agrabah's high walls. "Make sure everyone outside the walls is in by noon. Tell them to leave all their possessions behind, bring only food from their fields and as much of that as they can carry." Aladdin pointed to the scribes. "Go to the holds and see exactly how much food we have. I want every stalk of barley and every fish head accounted for. Whatever might go bad and spread to the other food either try and salvage or throw it out."

He turned to Rasoul. "I want you to arm every man of able body just in case Diriel breaks through the walls." He began and Jasmine stepped forward.

"Give every mother a dagger or arrows." She said. "If that daemon breaks through the walls he won't waste time sparring women and children. The messenger assured us of that." She said to Aladdin and he nodded.

"Make sure every gate is bolted and locked, if there is a crack in the wall spackle it, if there's a tunnel dung underneath, cave it in. I want every crack and crevasse sealed over. He can't have any way in." Aladdin said as a final order and dismissed the group. "Where's Iago?" he turned over his shoulder to look at Jasmine.

"Working on the spell. He's no sorcerer…even he admits that, but Sadira is accomplished enough to help him." She pointed to the far corner where the bird and a rather fair girl were crouched over something, drawing lines in the bricks and adding ingredients. "Aladdin…" Jasmine said with an obvious inflection in her voice and Aladdin sighed.

"I know what your fixing to say and your probably right." Aladdin admitted. "I just wasn't thinking." He said. "I saw Mozenrath there and it's like it wasn't Mozenrath at all, just this poor, abused slave who needed help." He hung his head against the support of his arms. "I should have just left him there. And now I'm putting my own people at risk by allowing him to stay."

Jasmine was taken aback. That hadn't been where she was headed at all. But it was a great comfort to hear Aladdin confide this in her. She put her budding and so far unfounded suspicions aside to comfort her beloved husband. "Aladdin what you did was only in your nature. You're a noble person…more so than what so called nobles are." She set a hand against his shoulder and smiled in a way she knew would put him at ease. "Aladdin what you did might not have been the wisest of all moves, but not to have rescued him would have been a betrayal of yourself."

"I suppose so…" he said thoughtfully and Jasmine caressed his cheek, standing on her tip toes to kiss him tenderly. Her warm, full lips touched his and Aladdin hummed, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"Answer me this: seeing what he was like…seeing him as you did in Diriel's room…do you think you could have left him there?" Jasmine asked suddenly and waited for a response.

"No. No I couldn't leave anybody like that Jasmine!" He said strongly and Jasmine smiled.

"And that's what the people love about you. Your concern for everyone, no matter who they are." She assured him. "It's what _I_ love about you." She said and pressed the heaviness of her breasts against his chest.

"I love you Jasmine." He said softly, burying his nose in her hair to smell the flowery perfume she always wore. Jasmine smiled and let him hold her as tightly as he wished, the sheer strength of his grip squeezing all fears away.

She was just being overly protective.

"Look, you have to put the amethyst facing inward along side the datura." Said Iago impatiently as the young witch Sadira struggled to keep up.

Sadira huffed and tossed a pony tail out of her face. "I'm not used to all this stuff. Can't I just put up a hundred foot wall of sand?" she asked as she tied the stone and the plant together with a black string.

"Oh yeah, a big wall of sand will do so much good against a powerful daemon!" the parrot squawked and smacked her with his wing. "Just follow the instructions, kid." He said and turned another page with his claw. "Jafar didn't do a lot of summoning but he was very knowledgeable when it came to daemons."

"How do you know that?" said Sadira, drawing a circle with chalk and aligning the crystal to the very center of Agrabah.

"Because he was never stupid enough to raise one." Iago said in a sardonic voice and lifted a wing. "Unlike some sorcerers we know who were dumb enough to pull up a lust beast." He started.

"Um…Iago…" Sadira said warningly as a figure came up the steps behind him.

"And just for that extra measurement of stupidity, Mozenrath doesn't even take the time to properly contain the thing!" he continued, oblivious to the interruption. A pair of black shoes appeared on either side of him, but the parrot kept right on. "I swear to you it's almost as if the guy was just asking to get fu…"

Iago suddenly seemed to notice how dark it had gotten and looked above him. Mozenrath was standing there, looking directly down at Iago. The look on his face made it clear he'd heard every word.

"Um…Mozie…ole buddy hi." The bird stammered. "I'm uh…guessing you're here for Al." Mozenrath frowned but made no response. "I'll just go get him shall I?" Iago laughed nervously and flapped off, leaving Sadira behind with the wizard.

Sadira had never seen the wizard before, though she'd heard about him many times. He didn't seem to notice her aside from a casual nod in her direction but seemed to be looking down at the protection circle she'd drawn up. "So…I hear you were a pretty powerful sorcerer." She said by way of trying to start a conversation. Mozenrath nodded and she made a little pouty face. He moved past her, still looking down at the spell in progress. "Well your just a bundle of friendship aren't you." Sadira muttered and bent back down.

"Your doing that wrong."

Sadira looked up in question. "What do you mean?" she picked up the spell book and read the directions. "It says the crystals should point towards the center of the city so the barrier will encompass the epicenter."

"Yes I know the book says that, but if you do it this way the barrier will only cover the palace. The entire rest of Agrabah will be left exposed." He explained patiently and knelt down. Without asking Mozenrath took hold of the amethyst and turned it facing outward. "Your putting one of these up every thirty feet am I right?" Sadira shook her head yes hesitantly and Mozenrath rolled his eyes. "Put them up every fifteen. It takes more time but you'll have a better support system if one of the stones cracks or loses power."

Sadira looked back to the book and wrinkled her nose. "But the book doesn't say anything…"

Mozenrath growled under his breath. "Books are only extensions of their writers. If the author doesn't know then obviously the book doesn't. And the writer of that particular book happened to be an inferior sorcerer." He opened his mouth as if to say exactly how inferior this wizard was when an outraged yell sprung up from behind him.

"Mozenrath! What are you doing up here?" It was Aladdin headed down the walkway with his princess and two guards behind him. He approached Mozenrath straight up and frowned. "I thought I told you to stay in the suits."

"It's a good thing he didn't." Sadira suddenly spoke up. The group turned to look at her and she blushed behind her dark skin. "I had this all wrong, even Iago didn't catch it." She pointed to the book and grinned. "If he hadn't come along and corrected me part of Agrabah might have been left open."

Aladdin seemed confused and arched an eyebrow at Mozenrath. "I thought you couldn't do sorcerery without your gauntlet." He said accusingly.

"I can't. Nothing powerful enough to fret over at least. But just because I can't fire at people any more doesn't mean I've forgotten how to do it." Mozenrath admitted quietly. He suddenly felt a lot less aggressive than he had coming up here. Why did he leave his room in the first place? He should have just stayed there and obeyed till this whole thing was over. What if Aladdin remembered what he'd said about being the heroes property now?

What if Aladdin decided to punish him? Despite the younger mans kind words and action, Mozenrath wasn't sure he trusted Aladdin enough not to lay whip marks across his back for disobedience if for no other point than to make his authority clear.

"What are you here for?" Jasmine spoke up, a twitch on the back of her neck going up.

"I…" Mozenrath turned red, suddenly he couldn't remember why he was up here in the first place. He backed down. "I'll leave now." He whispered and began to head down the railing.

To everyone's surprise, Aladdin went down after him. "Mozenrath wait." He said and the sorcerer stopped, turning as though fearing a hit. "Just wait. Look I'm sorry, but you have to understand the position I'm in. the councilors already don't like knowing you're here and…"

"And will take any excuse to throw me over the wall and back to Diriel." Mozenrath surmised quickly. "I apologize. I…I admit I forgot you were now Sultan here." He could see the curious and bewildered faces staring at the two of them talking. With sudden humility he knelt to the stairs, his head so low down it touched the bricks. "I'm sorry master…are…are you going to punish me?" he said, just loudly enough for others to hear.

Aladdin paused only an instant. "No…not this time slave." He whispered then under his breath. "But you've got to remember what's going on here. It looks…bad if people hear me give you and order and then see you disobey."

"I understand…I'm sorry. I just…' Mozenrath suddenly remembered why he'd come seeking Aladdin. The silence of the rooms had begun to grate on him. Every corner, so vast and gaping seemed to wish to swallow him whole. He did not feel trapped. Worse, he felt there was too much space to feel secure and comfortable in. "I'm sorry." He said finally and did not look up until Aladdin allowed him to rise.

"It's okay." Aladdin said and heard a slight cough behind him. Jasmine was looking from one man to the other, her eyes on the hand Aladdin had extended to help Mozenrath to his feet. "Sadira!" He said with sudden exclamation. "Are you done with the spell?"

"No, I still have half to go now that I know how to better it." She said and Aladdin hit upon an idea.

"Take Mozenrath with you. He'll be able to help you get this done quicker and point out if any mistakes are made." Aladdin nodded meaningfully towards Sadira and Mozenrath accepted it, following the roughly dressed girl along the wall.

Jasmine waited until the others had gone out of hearing before she turned to Aladdin. "What was that all about?" she said, a note of suspicion in her voice. There had been something, a look only too familiar when Aladdin had taken hold of Mozenrath's flesh hand to help him rise. She had received that look the first time they met, when she had tripped on the stairs up to Aladdin's tiny hovel.

Inside her blood boiled with jealousy.

"Aw Jasmine." Aladdin said weakly and scratched his head. "Listen…I think Mozenrath is just really confused about things right now."

"How so?" She asked, teeth clenched as Aladdin sat down on the wall. She waited, her face becoming slightly less hostile as he explained what Mozenrath had said to him in the bedroom. Jasmine softly pushed her fingers to her mouth when he said the word 'whore'. "He…he said what exactly?" she asked again.

"A whore is a whore. What does it matter who the master is?" Aladdin repeated and Jasmine turned to look for the sorcerer. He was standing some distance away, helping Sadira with the amethysts. They seemed to be talking…or rather Sadira was talking.

Mozenrath was just nodding and shrugging most of the time.

"I see what you mean." Jasmine said stiffly. "But Aladdin he can't actually think you would…?"

"What other experiences does he have to draw from?" Aladdin said softly. "Diriel…and everyone has heard the rumors about Destain. Heck my mother told me once or twice when I wouldn't go to bed. "Go right to sleep or Destain will come and get you." Aladdin poured himself a cup of water and drank it down. "He probably expected me to ravage him the first night."

"And it's probably confusing him as to why you haven't" Jasmine concluded, mulling the thought over in her head. There was another possible conclusion there, one she almost dared not to explore. If Mozenrath had referred to himself as a whore, it could only mean he'd come to accept being used in that manner. As such, he accepted, even expected Aladdin to use him in that way. When it hadn't happened, and Aladdin had made it clear that he wasn't that sort of person, the idea had probably confounded Mozenrath to no end. Did that mean Aladdin had something worse in mind? Or that Aladdin just wasn't attracted to guys. Both ideas could be very disturbing to Mozenrath fragile state right now.

People like that needed constant reassurance of their standing. That was probably the whole reason he'd kept Xerxes around. If someone is beneath you than you must be above someone. It complimented the idea of Mozenrath as a powerful Lord. But now, with nothing to explain to him exactly what was expected, Mozenrath had merely assumed the closest role he knew how.

Aladdin's slave. He had bowed quickly, shown submission, sought out his master when he was confused. It all fit perfectly. "Shit…" Jasmine muttered under her breath and saw Aladdin look at her in shock. "What?" she said with a little smile. "Didn't think I knew any words harsher than darn or goodness gracious?" Aladdin sort of grinned and Jasmine took a cup for water for herself. "I swear if I live to be a thousand people will always insist on seeing me as some naive little princess." She murmured and Aladdin chuckled.

"I like it. It means you can keep surprising people whenever they underestimate you." He said and kissed her cheek warmly. "I won't." he said in her ear. "I won't…I couldn't…" he tried to comfort her and Jasmine hid a sad little smile.

_Don't make promises you can't keep love. _She mused as a trumpet blast carried over the dunes and rattled the walls. Everyone within sight ran to the edge of the wall, scanning the desert for any sign of what the horn was sure to have signaled.

Far in the distance, a single rider appeared on a great black horse, his visage identifiable even from this distance. Aladdin looked for Mozenrath and saw him, eyes wide in fear as an earth shattering roar crossed the lands. He waved to Sadira and she began to run, setting up the last of the stones as quickly as she could. Mozenrath tried to pull himself away from the sight as the red marks on his arm began to burn again. He shook.

"Everyone get within the walls!" Jasmine shouted and Agrabah sounded it's own warning horn. People screamed and grabbed what they could, heading inside the gate as quickly as possible. Many came with their children, five, six seven little brats in tow as they shoved them inside the walls. Men on horses, royal guards sent to control the evacuation sped them along, Running among the huts to be sure they were cleared out before heading back within the safety of the walls.

The gates slammed shut just as the end of the last horse tail vanished between them.

But it did not look as though Diriel was planning to run them all down in the next five seconds. He rode out, the massive black stallion under him snorting angrily, it's white eyes full of cold. He pulled up to the last few meters before Agrabah's wall, riding back and forth for a moment to make sure he had everyone's attention. His horns, black and wicked flashed in the sunlight as his face grinned, the beauty of it too impossible to be believed. "Agrabah!" he hollered in what was more like a command than a speech. "Where is your Sultan Aladdin?"

No one answered, the sound of flags flapping in the wind was all the answered him. Diriel growled. "Where is the Sultan Aladdin!" he demanded again, his horse rearing back to show great lion like claws where hooves should have been.

Aladdin stepped up to the wall. "What do you want here daemon?" he said sharply as Diriel smiled bellow.

"I want what's mine." He said in a voice like silk. "I want Mozenrath. Give him to me now and I will return to the Black Sands now, no questions asked. Refuse…" He smiled almost as if he hoped they would and raised his arm. Behind him, in a line that seemed to go on for miles, a troop rose up. Thousands upon thousands of vicious, snarling creatures, hopping about on cloven feet and brandishing the most sadistic looking weapons in this world jeered and danced, wanting blood shed.

"Refuse…" Diriel repeated. "…and I will raze your city to the ground. I will take the souls of your women, the bodies of your men, and fed your children to my minions for whatever sport they can give."


	9. Chapter 8

Mozenrath could feel Diriel moving beneath him. The daemon did not once turn to look at Mozenrath but none the less made it clear that he could see the sorcerer.

_How long do you think you can…_

"…run from me Mozenrath."

The sorcerer shook his head, not sure of the sound had come from inside his skull or the ground bellow. He looked down as Diriel smiled up at him his beautiful body revealed and turned towards the sorcerer. "How long do you think these pitiful walls will last against me when I choose to come for you?" he asked as if truly concerned about the answer.

Aladdin saw Mozenrath lean weakly against the stones and spoke for him, demanding his own kind of attention. "What makes you think Agrabah will respond to this threat Diriel?" Aladdin spoke with more bravado then he felt.

"Respond?" Diriel laughed. "What choice have you? I stand at your gate with an army to rip the flesh from your fair city! The daemon snarled. "And you would refuse to respond?" he pointed to Mozenrath as the sorcerer slumped away in fear. "For this… a man who has threatened your city time and again? A man who is a greater villain than any other? You will risk your city, the lives of your people for a whore, who has condemned himself under my hand!" Diriel laughed, a loud, jovial sound as though the statement truly amused him. "You jest surely!"

"I have never been more serious." Retorted Aladdin.

Diriel's beast cantered back and forth, the daemon smiling with almost mad abandon as he sat atop it. He looked deep into Aladdin's eyes, searching, reading, looking for something to exploit. With a sudden guffaw he spoke again. "You want to bed him?"

Aladdin did not waver, he kept his face straight as stone. The people bellow had not heard the audacious statement, only himself, Jasmine and the guards were allowed up here, thus only they could hear everything said.

But Diriel did not need confirmation. He was a creature born and bred of carnal, insatiable lust. He could feel desire even when it was no obvious to those who harbored it. He laughed richly. "Very well. I give him to you for three days Aladdin! Have your joy of him, as little as he is capable of giving." Diriel said scathingly and Mozenrath hung his head in shame. "I will retreat beyond the mountains until the third sunset on the third day. By then have your fill of this whore and leave him bound outside the gates for me!" But as he spoke aloud, he also spoke silently, his burning eyes fixed on Mozenrath.

_Take your joy of this handsome street rat while you can Mozenrath. For when I return you will never again know the sunlight or hope. _

_You lie._ Mozenrath thought back at him, though even in his mind his voice shook in terror. _The doors are locked, the cracks are filled so even a gnat can not fit through. You can not enter Diriel. You can never touch me again. _

Diriel turned his head, the horns curved as though to stab out Mozenrath's eyes. He raised his head and laughed at the sorcerer, fangs gleaming for all to see. _Three days my love my whore. _He whispered as he turned the stallion and rode away. _Three days._ He rode to the edge of the dunes and as the sand kicked up round his stallions heels, he disappeared against the sunset.

"What I don't understand is why he is giving us this time." Aladdin said as he leaned back on the couch. "Why didn't Diriel just begin his attack now?"

"He's not really a fighter." Mozenrath said, remembering something all of the sudden. "Think of Paris who wanted Helen of Troy. He kidnapped her willingly but when it came down to a fight with her rightful husband he needed the help of a goddess to win." Mozenrath pointed to the wall. "He can probably sense the barriers and locks you've installed and knows it will prove difficult to get through."

"But doesn't want to admit it." Jasmine concluded. "He's trying to frighten us into giving you over. He looks all placid and willing to compromise now but something tells me in three days when your not sitting outside that wall he's going to play a different tune." Jasmine eyed Mozenrath and the sorcerer nodded. But as solid as she sounded, on the insides her mind was swirling.

_Do it yourself! Tie him to a bloody steak in the ground if you have to but get him out of your city!_

No. That wasn't right. They had started this feud and now they had to finish it. Besides, Aladdin had refused to give Mozenrath over point blank. How would it look if she, his Sultana, went behind his back to turn him over? It would be scandalous!

_To hell with scandal! You can sense it! You know what lurks behind that clever face. _Jasmine looked over at Mozenrath who was softly sniffing a piece of mango for edibility.

_He's very clever Jasmine…you know what he's capable of. Who's to say this isn't all a plot to get into the kingdom? He gave his hand for power, why wouldn't he give his body for a little more?_

"Now I'm just being paranoid." Jasmine muttered under her breath and Aladdin looked over. "Nothing." She said quickly and reached for a glass of wine. "All we can do right now is wait and see." She said and tipped the glass. "What did the scribes say about our food reserves?"

"Full and fresh." Aladdin said. "That something. They said if we ration it out right the entire city can have full bellies for a month and a half."

"Good." Jasmine nodded. "I don't want people to walk outside the walls for anything." She looked over at Mozenrath, eyeing him up and down. The sorcerer caught her stare and ducked, avoiding her eyes.

_If you're being paranoid then why won't he look you in the eyes?_

Shut it! Jasmine snapped at herself. There were a hundred reasons he would look away and she could name at least ten off hand. Not the least of which being Diriel's cavalier proposal at a truce.

Three days for Aladdin to have his joy of Mozenrath.

Jasmine rejected the idea. It wasn't the thought of Aladdin dallying with another man, though that held possible complications all it's own. After all, he was Sultan, and she had steeled herself for the day that gifts would come in the form of beautiful, compliant women who were eager to sleep with her husband. It would come as it came for all rulers in this part of the world. The reward for shouldering the responsibility of a kingdom.

It was the fact that the man here was a threat to her people.

_Well, perhaps not so much as he was before. _Her logical mind finally decided to intervene. _He has been hurt…I saw the wounds with my own eyes, I could smell the sex in the air. He was used, abused and degraded. _And though some part of her, the dark part she rarely let loose, thought he deserved all of that, Jasmine could not help but feel a little spurt of pity for this man.

_All his life he has known nothing but darkness. Subjected to it from an early age, razed with ideals of hatred, loathing. Power was all that mattered. The power to rise above him limitations, the power to make others…_

_See what he'd earned. _

Jasmine realized that the conversation had moved on around her and promptly brought herself back. The councils had been called in, advisors seemed to swarm around Aladdin and Jasmine as though trying to ignore Mozenrath completely. A stupid move. He was the most valuable source of information they had after being in Diriel's control for an estimated three months. They should be pressuring him for information, not pretending he wasn't there.

Aladdin had specifically been trying to ignore the sorcerer unless it was necessary. He could recognize Jasmine's looks even when she thought her face was placid. She was getting jealous. He shrugged off the feeling. There was no need to be. Alright so he'd been paying Mozenrath a little bit of attention now and then, but not in that way. For Allah's sake the man had just been through a lot.

And, if Aladdin wasn't mistaken, Mozenrath had left the rooms this morning looking for company.

_The best things to do…_he realized _…would be to attach Mozenrath with someone else. _Like maybe Sadira. She was a witch…she would understand him better. And if he wasn't mistaken, her defense of his presence on the wall was a clear sign that she already favored the sorcerer.

But no, he wasn't about to shove off someone with as much emotional baggage as Mozenrath on a friend. Besides they needed to keep Mozenrath within sight at all times. Bent and broken maybe, but he was still Mozenrath. Aladdin needed to keep an eye on him at all times.

It was the second time Aladdin had awakened to the sound of sobbing. He knew the voice now and hesitated leaving the bed he shared with Jasmine. He turned over. His wife was sound asleep and he wrapped an arm around her, pushing his face into the pillows and trying not to hear it. Aladdin tossed for a few minuets, telling himself not to move, but the sounds reached him even through the sheets. Finally, heaving a sigh he stood up and threw some clothing on. He gave Jasmine a gentle kiss and headed out the door, going for Mozenrath's set of rooms.

The sorcerer rose as he heard the door open and felt a fear arise as Aladdin entered. He was wearing a pair of pants, his chest, hard and tanned was exposed. He looked tired…even a little irate, and Mozenrath started to push away from him.

He stopped half way. If Aladdin was here for something then he could take it. Mozenrath would have little choice. He took a deep breath and stayed on the bed, quickly wiping tears from his eyes. "Yes…master?"

Aladdin grimaced at the word. "Look, you don't have to call me that alright." He said and walked in, shutting the door behind him. "What's wrong?" he asked, looking at Mozenrath's wet pillow and red rimmed eyes.

"Nothing you should concern yourself with master." Mozenrath said softly, keeping it impersonal as he could. Aladdin groaned in frustration and crossed the distance between them.

"Mozenrath…it's late. Nobody else is around. There is no one here you have to fake for. Just…call me Aladdin like this alright." He pleaded.

Mozenrath nodded but looked unsure. "I'd think you'd be used to it by now. Sultan and all." He said softly.

"Not as much as you'd think. I'm trying to get people to stop scarping the floor whenever they see me and all." He sat down opposite the sorcerer, feeling awkward. Aladdin resolved not to move any closer. "What happened?" he asked gently and Mozenrath shrugged as if to say nothing. "Moze…come on I could hear you crying from the other side of the palace."

"I'm sorry I woke you then." Mozenrath answered.

"Don't do that!" Aladdin snapped, suddenly ferocious. He grabbed Mozenrath by the shoulder and held him there. "Stop apologizing for everything like you don't care!" he ordered. His resolve had lasted all of ten seconds but damn it this was infuriating. "How long are you going to keep up this charade Mozenrath? How long are you going to pen up your emotions before they explode!"

Mozenrath had gone stiff as a rail, his face turned away, his eyes closed, expecting to be hit.

"Look at me." Aladdin ordered quietly. "Look at me!" he yelled. Mozenrath winced at the harshness of the words but opened his eyes, looking up at Aladdin. "How can you stand to be like this? How can you just sit here and let everything happen around you?" He made a noise in the back of his throat as though disgusted. "Gh it's like your not even Mozenrath anymore."

"Why would you want me to be?" Mozenrath asked slowly, afraid of the answer. Aladdin did not understand. "It's easier to not be myself Aladdin. Nobody wants me to be Mozenrath. Think about it." He said a little more boldly. "Would you rather have Mozenrath back, attacking your city and threatening those you love?" he asked and Aladdin shook his head no. "See Aladdin."

"But it's better than this." He said. His hands had still not let go of Mozenrath. Their faces were an inch apart, he could smell nag champa and lavender on Mozenrath's skin, like some far exotic fragrance. "At least then you'd…" Something like electricity clicked in the air and Mozenrath moaned slightly. Aladdin's hands gripped his arms so tightly he was cutting off circulation. The marks had not disappeared and it hurt like hell. "Sorry.' Aladdin said and let go, watching Mozenrath fall back against the sheets. "I'm sorry…I forgot."

"You are such a hypocrite Aladdin." Mozenrath said and brushed the locks of hair from his face. Resentful gray eyes stared up at a befuddled hero. "You talk to me about being afraid to be myself. Your afraid to be a Sultan." He pushed forward, a little bravado, just a small amount would have to power him for now. He was too scared to think of anything else. "You never wanted this kingdom, just the princess. And now, when it's all shoved in your face you'd rather run and hide or sail away on your carpet then deal with what you've been given."

"Oh really?" Aladdin grit his teeth and narrowed his eyes. "Well if that's true why am I here now? If I did want to just sail away on Carpet then why am I fighting this battle? Why didn't I just run?"

"Because you're an idiot!" Mozenrath shot back. "No other Sultan in the world would have taken me from Diriel."

"Your saying you want to be his?"

"No! Gods I'd rather die than go back to that daemons bed! But Aladdin don't blame me for this situation your in. I didn't ask you to rescue me. I didn't ask you to bring me here…"

"I don't blame you!"

"Yes you blame me just as much as you blame yourself. Because in your heart Aladdin your not a Sultan. You're a hero. You'd have rather spent the rest of your life saving people and being totally unconcerned with how others make do." Mozenrath said confidently. "You are a Sultan now! You have to learn to be ruthless."

"Like you?" Aladdin chuffed and turned away. "A tyrannical Sultan is always watching for those who will betray him." Aladdin quoted, though he could not quite remember what from.

"And a weak Sultan will never command the respect he needs." Mozenrath retorted. "You even afraid to take what's yours by right." He muttered softly.

Aladdin stood there for a second, his jaw opened, his temper quickly unraveling. "I'm..I'm what?" Mozenrath seemed to suddenly know he'd pushed it too far and began to back away. Without warning Aladdin surged forward, grabbing Mozenrath around the wrist and yanking him close. "You think I'm afraid of you?" he said, his bravery challenged. Mozenrath tried to shake his head and whisper no but Aladdin gave him no opportunity.

He pushed his fingers through Mozenrath's hair, slamming the sorcerer's lips onto his with such ferocity it hurt. Aladdin's other arm wrapped tightly around the waist, holding him, pushing their bodies closer as a muffled sound of shock came from Mozenrath. Aladdn pried Mozenrath's mouth open, slipping his tongue quickly in to tickle his.

Mozenrath did not wince as he was thrown against the bed, face first into the pillows. He had known this would come, sooner or later. It was all a matter of time and Aladdin would ravage his body. He bit his lips shut, willing himself not to make a sound as Aladdin's weight pressed into him, his hands finding the center of the rich green material and tore it apart, exposing Mozenrath's naked torso.

It wasn't till he heard the shriek that Aladdin seemed to come back into his senses and stop. He had grabbed Mozenrath's arms as a way of pinning him down, forgetting the burning red signs there. They now blazed angrily back at him, his own finger prints against the sore and burning flesh disappeared back to normal color. Mozenrath lay there, his eyes glazed in pain, his body arched, ready…braced for what he was sure was coming.

Aladdin nearly threw himself off the bed and away from Mozenrath, looking at his hands as though they were blood stained. He covered his face with them, closing his eyes as he realized what he had come so close to doing. "I…Oh Allah…" he looked at Mozenrath who was just starting to realize that he was no long pushed down. The sorcerer raised enough to look at Aladdin, confused and apprehensive.

Damn it but he looked so innocent, half naked, wavy black hair covering his eyes. His moist, full lips were drawn open as though about to scream. The pale blue bed sheets were wrapped around his body, wavering in the breeze. Mozenrath touched his arm where Aladdin had grabbed it and made a low whimper.

"I'm sorry." Aladdin said just loud enough to make it out. "Allah Mozenrath I'm so sorry." He ran for the door, terrified of himself, of what he had come so close to doing.

Jasmine awoke to the feeling of strong, pursuant hands between her thighs, playing along the folds of her pussy. "Aladdin…" she moaned softly. Her nipples were hardened like little chocolate chips, her little clitoris already swollen and wet. Clearly he had been at this for a few minuets before she'd awakened. His fingers slipped in and out of her tightening slit, pushing little pressures along the way.

"Do you want me to stop?" he whispered to her gently, his mouth already working against her back and neck muscles. His warm, moist tongue slipped along her spine and he pushed another finger in as she opened herself up to him.

"No!" Jasmine begged and arched back against his body. "Aladdin…please don't stop…"

"But I thought maybe I was waking you up." He teased and began to rub his hand around her rib cage, raking his nails down her stomach and up again to touch her hardened breasts.

Jasmine giggled girlishly and turned around to face him, shrugging off the covers and revealing her body. "Aladdin…" she whispered, touching his chest and kissing down his neck. "Aladdin…your flushed?" she said softly. "Are you all right?" she asked, an eye brow arched. He blushed brightly and pressed a virile kiss to her lips. She took that as an answer. Men oft awoke from dreams liken to their desire in real life. She had learned that since marriage. It would explain the heat from his skin and tussled, tossed look of his hair.

Not that she was complaining.

Aladdin swiftly moved down her body, taking in her breasts, chest, abdomen, and pelvis with his fingers, than his tongue. Jasmine could not help a girlish squeal when his lips met those between her legs and he wrapped his mouth around them. Little wet sounds of suction echoed in the hall as he devoured her femininity.

Jasmine whimpered. She desperately longed to bring his manhood to her in the same way. But properly bred girls didn't do those things. And she must maintain, no matter how badly she longed to take his hardened shaft between her lips and…

Her imagination was bringing her closer to climax. She loved nights like this to begin with. They were quick, but passionate, as if tension had been successfully mounting all day just to explode in a cacophony of desire and need. Aladdin rose up and spread her thighs open, settling comfortably between them and pushing in, his shaft filling her body in the way the both wanted.

Jasmine felt her tightness swell around him, the soft, sensual lips pulling him in deeper and deeper. She arched and moaned, wrapping her arms around Aladdin's shoulders. He grinned and began to set a steady pace, thrusting with increasing speed, just to slam himself completely in and slow down, prolonging the inevitable.

Aladdin held her close, smelling the sweet, womanly scent of her flesh and being. He called out her name, his lips roaming her mouth with fervor. "Jasmine!" he called out as she bucked against his penetrating rod. She answered him with her own sounds, begging him to bring her with him as their bodies climbed high and higher.

Jasmine finally felt Aladdin collapse in bed beside her, the both of them warm and satisfied. Jasmine hummed in contentment and settled her head against his hardened chest, cuddling with his arm around her. Aladdin kissed the top of her head and ran his fingers through her hair, turning her cheeks up to look at him.

"Jasmine…I need to tell you something." He said softly, a sense of dread growing.


	10. Chapter 9

Mozenrath was not half as surprised as he acted when Jasmine stormed into his rooms the next morning. He wasn't surprised, but he was afraid. He fell back wards off the bed and nearly crab walked away from her, not knowing what to expect. Her face looked ready to remove his head and spit down his neck. The problem was more that if she had the power to see it done.

But what happened first was not the order for his execution. "How dare you!" Jasmine snapped at him, her eyes practically glowing.

"How…how dare I what?"

"How dare you!" Jasmine rose her hands to her hair and squeezed as though she simply could not cope with the facts. "After I…_I_…treated your cuts and bandaged you! I helped drag you down from that damn room and hid you in my carrier!" she made a noise like an injured horse in the back of her throat and glared at him.

The rant continued for some time, and Mozenrath hardly dared speak to defend himself. After all this was his masters wife. She had authority over him and if he offended her Aladdin was bound to be displeased.

"And the worst part!" Jasmine said finally, after about fifteen minuets and two broken vases. "I can't…even…blame…you!" Mozenrath looked up at her, still cringing away from her presence, but startled by this! "What you think I'm stupid?" Jasmine said at his stunned silence. "Aladdin told me everything. I know _he_ kissed _you."_ She said finally.

"It wasn't exactly a loving embrace." Mozenrath finally dared. "It was more like having my face bitten off."

Jasmine rolled her eyes and suddenly sunk to the couch, making little sobbing noises. "Damn I am such a fool!" she moaned and brought the sheets to her face to wipe her eyes. "I could see this coming a mile away!"

"Then…" Mozenrath crept closer, hesitating. He didn't know what to do with this type of situation. Never in his life had he been required to comfort another being and yet here he was, alone in a room with a crying, angry woman who clearly was at a loss for words. What was he supposed to do?

_She would have you killed if she thought she could get away with it. _His mind spat out at him automatically.

_IF! She's the damn Sultana! If she wanted my head on a platter I doubt anyone would question her reasons! _ Mozenrath looked around and poured a cup of wine, tapping Jasmine on the back with it. She took the cup with a murmured thanks and drained it in one gulp.

"If you knew." He tried again after she had hiccupped. "Then why didn't you stop it?" he asked. "Surely you could have. You could have sold me to a trader. Or given me to a noble as an exotic gift." Mozenrath suggested and took a bit of wine for himself. "You still could if my presence disturbs you so much." He asked.

"Do you really think I'm that much of a frigid bitch?" Jasmine said and saw Mozenrath blush a bright red. Jasmine felt a spurt of anger, but it died out quickly. "Besides it's not within my rights. Aladdin could if he wished, but he won't." she promised. She turned to look at the pale flesh. He really was a lovely little thing if she admitted it truthfully. If this had been a woman, Jasmine would say he was gorgeous. She remembered very suddenly the way he had flinched and shaken when she'd tended to his injuries.

That spoke to her innate nature.

"If Aladdin ever threatens to give you to someone else I won't let him." She said with sudden sureness. Mozenrath's eyes went wide and Jasmine turned away with a scoff of disgust. "Just don't ask me why right now all right? I…" she stood up and drained her second glass. "I have more to do before Diriel comes back in a day. No doubt he's going to be pissed when he doesn't see you waiting outside the gates for him."

"Jasmine…" he started and saw her giving him an unmistakable look. "Sultana…" he started again. "Don't underestimate Diriel." He said quickly. "He can be very charming when he wants to be, but under all that silk he's as hard as iron."

"Those armies he had…" Jasmine said. "Why didn't you warn us about them?" she said remembering.

"I didn't know he had them till you did." Mozenrath admitted. "I…I wasn't…I mean I didn't see much…beyond Diriel's bedroom." He shook but continued. "But if I had to speculate. I'd say he got the army around the same time he saw I was gone." Mozenrath pressed a finger to the side of his chin. "If I didn't know better…"

"What?" Jasmine said hurriedly.

"All those people…I'm sure you saw them all coming in to the city." He said and Jasmine nodded. "They weren't there the day before." He said quickly. "I woke up and all of the sudden it was like a city had grown over night."

"Are you saying those people aren't people at all?" Jasmine turned back to him.

"It's a distinct possibility." Mozenrath said.

"And I'm guessing they all don't have the same problem with locks that Diriel does." She surmised. "But the border, all those crystal spells we asked Sadira to put up?"

"They should help. But I don't know. How powerful is the witch girl?" Mozenrath asked quickly. "If she can't give a steady enough steam to get the amethysts charged then they might not hold up against a full onslaught."

"Can't you do anything to help?" Mozenrath held up his skeletal digits and Jasmine nodded briefly, trying not to make a face.

"I can lend a little. If master will allow it." He said softly and Jasmine connected eyes with him as though she suddenly understood something. "What?"

"He's told you not to call him that. You don't half to." She reminded him.

"Do you want me to call you Jasmine?" He asked. "Of course not. It's better if I just stick to Sultan, Sultana, master mistress…" he sighed. "It's less suspicious that way."

Her next question was caught on her lips as the door burst open, the great burly guard bursting in. "You highness!" he looked from Jasmine's red rimmed eyes to Mozenrath's face. "What were you doing to the Sultana?"

"Rasoul!" Jasmine snapped at him. "It's alright. Why did you come for me?"

The guard looked confused for a moment, frowning angrily at Mozenrath, but turned back to his queen. "Ah…Sultan Aladdin needs you in the throne room. There may be some trouble with the wards set up."

"Very well." She said and hurried out the door.

Mozenrath stood up and moved away towards the balcony, wanting to feel sunlight against his skin. He didn't hear Rasoul come up behind him. The bigger man grasped his wrist and yanked him up. "Listen here you filthy sorcerer. If you think you can shimmy your way into the royal line through the Sultana you can forget it."

"Shimmy my…" Mozenrath nearly laughed. "Oh dear Gods you think I'm after the prince…Sultana?" He coughed, wincing as Rasoul used his normal methods to feel secure when he was out of his element. "I can promise you right now I have no intention of doing anything to the Sultana. Though what she's going to do with me after all of this is debatable. Assuming I survive it of course."

"And the Sultan?" Rasoul said suspiciously. He had not been particularly fond of the street rat from the beginning. But they had come to something of an understanding over the years.

Mozenrath fought for words. His face became bright red in the struggle. "What the Sultan chooses to do with me is his own prerogative." He said slyly. Rasoul was not his master. He did not have to answer to this man.

Rasoul shoved his face in close and grit his teeth threateningly. "One wrong move…" he said and snapped his fingers. "And that daemon is going to get just what he wants."

"What's happened?" Jasmine said as she entered the throne room. To her surprise, Sadira was there as well, wringing her hands.

Aladdin chewed on his lower lip. "Sadira tried to give the wards enough juice to keep them powered. She managed about half them but…"

"I'm not a powerful sorceress." She said shortly. "I mean I can hold my own but next to something like Genie I really can't compare." She pointed to the wall. "The south and west are finished up…and part of the east, but the rest of that and the north amethysts won't respond if I don't have enough power to give them and activate the spell."

"And half the guards gone are as bad as the whole damn thing." Aladdin gave a noise and turned to Sadira. "If you have a days rest or two?"

"We don't have that long. Diriel will be here tomorrow." Jasmine said. "Sadira take one of the guest rooms and give yourself a chance to relax. I'll have a servant bring you up food and whatever else you need to replenish yourself. The moment you feel you have the strength…"

"I'll start again." She nodded eagerly and headed off for a quick nap. Her shoulders were slumped and dark circles cast under her pretty brown eyes. Obviously she'd been at it all night.

"We're lucky Diriel gave us three days." Aladdin said quietly. "We'd never have been prepared if he'd have started in right then and there." He waited till everyone was out of sight and looked at Jasmine. "I'm sorry." He said.

She looked at him, contemplating. "He made you angry Aladdin. You don't show it often but you do have a temper on you."

"No! Not about that. I…I shouldn't have kissed him." Aladdin hoped she understood. He had been trying to scare Mozenrath at the time, make him subdue, but half way through the sudden, violent display, he'd felt a surge of something. A feeling that only Jasmine's touch had brought…till last night.

The Sultana sudden felt her spine stiffen. "You…Aladdin I can't stop you from doing what you want. Technically…even if it's only technically…stealing Mozenrath makes him our slave…your slave. You keep him in lavish rooms, you feed and clothe him exquisitely." She could feel hurt brimming up on the inside. "He may as well be a harem man."

"A harem? All ready?" A friendly loud voice echoed from the balcony. "Wow little buddy you must really be popular with the ladies!"

"Genie!" Aladdin and Jasmine burst out to see their big blue friend returned at last. They gave him a big hug as Eden landed beside him. Jasmine smiled and shook hands with the attractive green djinn. The two had met only a few times, but it was a lasting impression of one another.

"Your back from honeymoon already?" Jasmine asked. Her honeymoon had felt like years.

"Well there was some tsunami trouble in Japan and that's really only worth the trip if the cherry blossom trees are in bloom." Eden said. "So we figured we'd stop by and see how things are going."

"You couldn't have picked a better time." Aladdin interjected and began to explain the troubles. Genie and Eden listened with grave features and when the story was over seemed to think for a minuet.

"We can finish off the borders no problem." Genie said quickly. "But a daemon…"

"We don't have to destroy him." Aladdin said. "Just hold him off for a month."

"What did you say him name was?" Eden asked.

"Diriel."

Diriel…Diriel…" she tapped a finger on her pretty chin. "Does he look something like this?" Her features began to quickly change, the green pulsing to gold, her curves becoming hardened muscle. Horns sprouted from her head and within a few seconds there stood a perfect daemon. Even her grin was his.

"That's him alright." Aladdin scoffed and looked the creature up and down. Even knowing full well it was his friend underneath the image, the creature was terrifying. Apparently he wasn't the only one who thought so, for a muffled scream came out from the column behind them all. "Who…?" Aladdin's eyes went wide.

Mozenrath stood there, back pressed against the marbled pillar. His face was contorted in terror and he stumbled away, chest heaving up and down as though hypervenalating. "No…please no…" he whimpered.

The Eden/Diriel turned around to see what Aladdin was looking at and growled. "You." She/he pointed at Mozenrath, unfortunately sounding as much like the real Diriel. Eden and Mozenrath had bad blood between them. The anger was real even if Mozenrath didn't know who it really came from. She advanced on him, hurriedly, though what he intentions were the group never discovered. Instead of running, Mozenrath fell to the floor and covered his head, a soft sob coming from his mouth.

"Eden wait!" But Aladdin needen't have yelled. The moment the sorcerer had dropped in submission she had stopped, like wolf recognizing a frightened pup and was now swiftly changing back to her djinn features.

"Aladdin what's going on?" she asked softly as the hero and others approached.

Aladdin grimaced. He hadn't been ready to bring this up yet. "I'll tell you later ok." He said. Looking at Genie's hurt face at being left out. "I promise." He put a hand gingerly on Mozenrath's shoulder. "Moze…Moze it's ok. Look!"

Mozenrath very slowly seemed to peek out from under his robe. He could see Eden just as the thick black horns and red eyes disappeared and seemed very bewildered for a moment. He shook his head, turning to Aladdin with the most betrayed expression on his face. "You mean to mock me?" he whispered in question.

Aladdin's jaw dropped and he fumbled over the words. "No…Mozenrath we weren't…"

The resulting slap echoed across the grounds and Mozenrath looked caught between anger and tears. "Bad enough I'm your whore! Now you'll make me a court jester to amuse you?" he ran from the room, holding his burning shoulders to try and comfort himself.

_He'll beat you for this little whore! _A voice laughed gleefully inside him.

"I'm sorry." Mozenrath said the moment Aladdin entered the rooms. "I'll never leave these rooms again! I'll obey and stay out of your way and do what you want at night!" Mozenrath promised. "Please…just please don't beat me."

"Beat you?" Aladdin said, more than a little shocked. "By Allah Mozenrath is that what you expect me to come in here and do?"

"Why else? I hit you…I struck at my master." Mozenrath crawled away, backing up against the ledge of the balcony. "I deserve to be beaten."

"Mozenrath! How many times do I have to tell you I'm not your master?" Aladdin threw off his turban. "Why do you keep calling me that?"

"Because…you keep me here." Mozenrath said reluctantly. "I'm just a slave Aladdin…that's all I am anymore."

"But that's not what you have to be." Aladdin reminded him. "Mozenrath…would a slave…someone born and bred to follow orders…have slapped me out there." Mozenrath made a mewling sound. "No matter how frightened he was…" Aladdin continued. "Would a slave have slapped me?"

Mozenrath said 'no' in a very small voice.

"Then there you have it." Aladdin smiled in what he hopped was a friendly, comforting way. "You know to be honest I was more comfortable with you as a sorcerer than like this." He chuckled and moved closer, sitting down beside Mozenrath on the divan couch. "I mean…at least that way we kind of understood each other."

"It was easier then." Mozenrath interpreted and gave a gesture of non committal. "I was the antagonist, you were the hero. The roles were clearly defined and earned a direct and sure response. Now…"

"Now it's like you've become human." Aladdin joked and saw Mozenrath give a hint of a smile. "Listen to me Mozenrath. I'm going to ask you something. And I want you to be honest with me." Mozenrath hesitated but nodded. "Why do you keep calling yourself…a whore?"

"Because it's true." Mozenrath answered, forcing himself to go dead inside. "When I was younger…"

"Destain took you." Aladdin said, making it so Mozenrath didn't have to. "I figured that out a while ago Mozenrath. Iago told me that he and Jafar had dealings once or twice and the man didn't hide his preferences for young boys."

"But there is a difference between rape and prostitution Aladdin. When I got older, when I recognized what Destain wanted from me…" He felt a squeezing in his chest. Why was he even admitting this? _Because your master asked you a question. _"I started to give it…in return for hurrying my lessons along and teaching me what I wanted to know." She twisted his lip. "It wasn't pleasant but I learned what I needed quicker." He sighed. "And it didn't stop there." he held up his hand. "Flesh for power Aladdin. Flesh by sex or flesh by blood I gave what I had to get what I wanted." Mozenrath wrung his skeletal hand in a wistful way. "How else would you define a whore?"

Aladdin couldn't think of what to say. He opened his mouth once or twice, as though something lay on the tip of his tongue. But he stopped himself, unsure of how to continue and sound well advised.

"You see?" A smooth chuckle from the plush lips. "You can't even deny it can you?" Mozenrath closed his eyes, and very carefully put his flesh and blood hand across Aladdin's. "It's…easier this way. I have learned to accept it." Mozenrath tried to convince a staring Aladdin. Mozenrath leaned forward and began almost seductively slipping from his robe. The fabric was pushed aside, revealing such perfectly white skin, soft, but like a whip under silk. His hair shone in the evening light, giving it red and gold highlights. "I've been told…that I am skilled in bed play… Diriel said I was excellent. I won't disappoint you Aladdin." He swore and leaned forward. "Give me time…I'll learn to please you how you want." Mozenrath lay his head in Aladdin's lap, rubbing his cheek in a cat like way against the hero's thighs. He heard a groan, muffled, as though Aladdin was trying very hard to hide it, but still filled with a familiar emotion.

Desire.

"No!" Aladdin said and stood straight up, gasping for air. He took a few steps back, struggling to get steady. Did Mozenrath have any idea how that small touch had inflamed his senses? "Mozenrath…I won't treat you that way." He said finally. "And I won't allow you to treat yourself that way either."

"W...I don't understand." Mozenrath said softly.

Allah how could he explain what he was feeling right now? It was an aching need, pulsing through his blood. Why did Mozenrath have to be so vulnerable right now? He had felt a spark of it that night when he first rescued the sorcerer. Seeing him, weak, defenseless, it spoke to the core of himself not just as a hero, but a man who needed to protect. He loved Jasmine dearly but she was strong in her own right. She'd proved time and time again she needed no knight in shining armor. Hell that was _part _of why he loved her.

But this man, this man he had worked so hard to defeat, this man who had once threatened his family and friends, now needed him more than anything.

And Aladdin wanted it more than he knew.

But still, he could not allow himself to abuse that need. It wasn't in his nature to take advantage of an emotionally and physically distraught person and he wouldn't start now. "Mozenrath…I'm sorry if I've ever treated you like a prostitute. It stops now." He took the man's hands and pressed his lips to the knuckles. "This palace is your palace Mozenrath…as my guest." He stressed. "Come and go as you please, but I must ask you not to go outside the city limits."

"But if I do Diriel will take me back." Mozenrath shivered at the thought. "Your problems will be gone."

Aladdin thought for a moment, then took Mozenrath very gently by the back of his neck. "Listen to me Mozenrath." He began. "I know…I mean…I can't even pretend to know what you've been through. But you know a bit about me I think. You're completely right. I _am_ an awful cliché of a hero." He admitted. "Maybe that makes me too simple to define. But as a hero…do you honestly think I'd leave you to suffer at the hands of Diriel just because you don't please me?"

Mozenrath paused for a second as though afraid to answer. "But…I just don't understand." He whispered. "If you did not…want me in that way…why did you rescue me?" He said and was surprised to see Aladdin's cheeks turn deep scarlet. A sudden realization hit him. "You…you do want me…don't you." It was not a question.

Aladdin coughed very loud and moved away from the young necromancer. "I…I…Mozenrath I don't…"

A loud trumpet blast resounded in the air, the low, angry call of a war horn. "Sunset." Aladdin said, looking out the window. He rose, heading for the door. He paused, looking back at a questioning Mozenrath. "Do you want to come?"

"Do you want me there?"

"I think you have a right to face him down Moze." Aladdin said. "I won't make you come, but if you want to, I won't stop you."

Mozenrath hesitated, looking towards the blood red sky. "I'm coming." He said, surprising himself with the strength of his own voice. He stood and straightened his robes, sharpening them as he looked at himself in the mirror.

_Whore…_

_Strutting…gilded…whore…_

He could feel the constriction in his chest. The degradation of his body under Diriel's hands was still fresh. Even bathing was still painful from all the marks that daemon had left on his skin. Would that touch, that pain he had left behind ever go away? Would the shame?


	11. Chapter 10

"Get those stones finished!" Aladdin hollered and Sadira wound her hair back, adding the last little bits of power she had to the guards.

"Anyone ever tell you how bossy you've gotten ever since you became Sultan?" she shouted back good naturedly and set about making sure the last stone was aligned. With a deep breath of air she shot magic through it, the stone sparking and snapping, then settling into a warm purple glow. "And now!" she let go and the stone connected, a line of deep violet springing between them till they surrounded the wall and cavern that made up Agrabah's border. Like a sun setting over the mountains a dome seemed to build over their heads, a protective blanket on the bed of their city.

"Sultan Aladdin." It was Rasoul, the burly guard. "He's riding out."

"And his troops?" Aladdin asked anxiously.

"He left them on the hill. I think he's still hoping to do this peacefully." There was a tone in Rasoul's voice Aladdin didn't like. Something between speculation and disproval. Unfortunately there was not enough time to chastise him for it.

"Go down and make sure the other guards have the gate secured." Aladdin said slowly, his temper in no mood for pushing. He watched as Rasoul bowed and walked down the stairs. _So this is what it's going to be like. _He mused, a little more of the realization of his actions coming upon him.

_Don't be stupid. You haven't done anything wrong._

_Oh but you want to don't you. _It wasn't a question.

_It's not like that! _Aladdin protested, watching as the golden figure of Diriel came closer and closer over the hills. _He's just…weak. He needs help…he needs somewhere safe. _

_Oh I see…_ the voice was silent for a moment, as though considering something. When it spoke again the tone was mocking. _And is Mozenrath…safe…with you? _

Aladdin bit his lip and closed his eyes, turning away from the dunes. _He trusts you. But do you trust yourself?_

_Yes. I'm not like that! I mean I don't want…_

_Ah but you lie! I know your thoughts Aladdin! I know how you feel when you see his body, exposed and pale. You think of your thighs joining, of that face, so pretty and soft, moaning at your behest. _

_Stop it!_

_And he does moan Aladdin. He moans like a crescendo of music, magnificent to behold. And when he wails in pain you can hear it for miles as his body takes everything you have._

Aladdin suddenly stopped. That voice had not been his own. He looked out over the wall, watching the daemon close in. _You!_

A coarse laughter rang in his ears as the ruby red eyes gazed up at him. _Do not lie street rat. I know how you hunger for that pale body. Not that I blame you of course._ Diriel whispered as he came up to the gates. "Where is my slave Sultan Aladdin!"

It took him a moment to realize that the voice had not sounded in his own mind but from bellow. The daemon stood upon his horse, looking up over the walls of Agrabah. "I have been lenient have I not? Else my counting of the days is wrong."

Aladdin felt himself steel. "Your counting is correct Diriel." He answered back in a cold voice.

The red eyes glowed and the sunlight seemed to glint off his horns. "Then where is my slave?" he barked out the last word as though he could tear the very walls down.

"Mozenrath is not your slave anymore Diriel." Aladdin said firmly. "He is here as my guest and I will not see him harmed."

"You guest?" Diriel spat on the ground. "Your fuck toy you mean!" he seemed to grow in size till he nearly dwarfed the poor beast he rode. "I have been generous Sultan! I gave you three days. Three days to have your fill of what is mine!" Diriel was yelling now, so loud everyone could hear. "And yet now, when I have tried to solve this problem with some diplomacy, you throw my kind offer back in my face!"

"Kind?" Aladdin felt his temper brimming over. "What would you know of kindness?" he shouted from the top of his lungs. "When I found Mozenrath in your palace he was bleeding from so many places he looked like a butcher shop! It took three days for him to awaken after we brought him back here." Aladdin felt his hands shaking. _You raped him. You broke his body and raped him. _

_He is mine to rape hero._ Diriel answered coldly. "What I do with my slaves is none of your concern Sultan of Agrabah." He snarled out. "I will give you one last chance. Give me Mozenrath! Throw him over your wall and I will catch him, and leave with my armies before the stars have risen!" he pointed to the sky where the darkness of night was beginning to settle in and the dim glow of lights just starting.

Aladdin turned to the side for a moment. "Let us here what Mozenrath has to say then."

Mozenrath's face went blank as Aladdin gestured to him. He had been staying out of sight towards the back of the wall. But now he was being called on to speak for himself. He approached the edge, his pale gray eyes looking down to see Diriel's terrible black horns tilted up towards him.

He shuddered and pulled away, hands clutching the burning red marks on his shoulders. _I can't do this! _He pleaded wordlessly. _I can not face him! I'm not ready to._ He turned as thought to run and Aladdin was there, the younger man's strong, firm hands on his. "Aladdin…" he whispered and became suddenly aware of something. Had the hero grown taller? In their battles he had always been the towering one. But now it seemed as though Aladdin matched him in height, for their eyes met perfectly.

"Mozenrath…are you alright?" he whispered softly.

A warmth surged through the sorcerers body, eclipsing even the burn of his markings. "I'll be alright." He said and turned back to the wall, looking bravely over the edge at Diriel. The daemon grinned up at him, eyes traveling his body.

"So there you are my darling." He whispered, but the words carried as clear as a bell. Diriel extended his hand, the raptor like talons curling invitingly towards Mozenrath. "Come down Mozenrath and I will forgive this infidelity." His words seemed to wind through the air with a life of their own. His skin shimmered in the dusk as Mozenrath shivered as though freezing.

"Infidelity?" Aladdin said with a snarl but Mozenrath stood forward.

"I…I do not…I will not come down." Mozenrath knew he sounded pathetic, but it was the first stroke of true self he had felt in a long while.

"What?" Diriel's horns curved wickedly. His horse reared for a moment, reacting to it's masters anger. "What did you say to me whore?"

Aladdin flinched at the word, but Mozenrath only closed his eyes. "I am not yours anymore. I won't be yours!" Mozenrath suddenly shouted, clinging to the brick of the wall.

"You are mine you slinking prostitute!' Diriel hollered, his eyes flaming. He curled his fingers and seemed to speak a word, thought his mouth made no sound.

Mozenrath screeched in pain and clutched his arms. The red marks seared into his flesh so hot they burned his clothing, the embers falling to the ground. Steam rose in a great cloud and the smell of baking flesh rose in the air.

"You belong to me Mozenrath!" Diriel hollered, squeezing his fist so tightly blood dripped from the palm. "You are mine now and forever! And when I bare you down from these white walls I will spread your body open and take you for all to see! Your screams will echo through to the next world Mozenrath!"

Aladdin rushed forward, taking hold of Mozenrath's shoulders. "Moze! Moze get up…you can't let him see you like this!" Aladdin ran his hands down the hard etching in Mozenrath's flesh. "Don't let him control you."

Mozenrath suddenly felt as though his whole body was being swept by a cool wave. The burning in his arms began to lessen and the young wizard opened his eyes, staring into the handsome brown ones above him. The throbbing began to cool, and Mozenrath slowly stood up. "I'm alright." He whispered as Aladdin did not remove his hands, hoping to steady the sorcerer. "Aladdin I said I'm all…" he looked up and saw that Aladdin's face had flushed a bright pink, the look in his eyes mistakable. Suddenly he wanted nothing more than to stand like this forever.

_Don't let go Aladdin. _He pleaded mentally. _Don't let go or I will fall I know it. _The press of Aladdin's hard chest was very close to him. He could feel it through the fabric of his shirt and very nearly moaned. _I'm not yours anymore Diriel. _Mozenrath thought joyously. "These walls are stronger than you daemon!" Mozenrath suddenly said, yelling at Diriel from the ledge. "They will hold you out until you disappear from this world!"

"Coward!" Diriel answered. "You disgusting little coward!" He roared. "You no longer have the balls to stand against me so you will rely on your new master to protect you!"

Aladdin started to say that he was not Mozenrath's master but stopped himself automatically. He could already for see the dangers in such a statement. The sole reason he could keep the council at bay on this issue was that they thought he was in control of the sorcerer. He despised lying in such a way, for unless something went wrong he had no intention of making Mozenrath obey him. And worse, what if Mozenrath still though he should be obeying Aladdin? What then?

A sound rang through the air and Aladdin turned just in time to see hundred of arrows raining down upon them. He raised his arm to shield Mozenrath and himself and felt rather stupid when the sticks hit the domed protected, bouncing off it harmlessly. Aladdin felt his confidence soar and promised himself to reward Sadira for her efforts. Diriel's face was less than pleased as the Sultan looked over the edge again. "We are well marked against you daemon! Leave my land and never return."

"Give me my slave and I will go!" Diriel commanded again.

Aladdin felt a heat spread across his body. "Never." He spoke the word with such silent force that he was shocked at himself. These were not the same actions he might have made three months ago…even one month ago. But they were his actions now. And he would have to live with the consequences.

Diriel did not make a sound but turned on his horse and headed back for his army lines. _You are a fool Aladdin! You may protest you disinterest but I know better. I am a creature of dark desire. I know what's in your mind. _

_No you do not Diriel._ Aladdin said firmly. _I will never do to Mozenrath what you did to him. Never! _

A cold cruel laughter rang across the dunes as Aladdin began to escort Mozenrath down from the wall. "Post guards along the perimeter. Keep a close eye on anything he does I want reports every hour on the hour." Aladdin commanded and everyone moved. "If anything suspicious seems to be going on report directly to me." He turned around and looked at the pale young man who now sat back against the stairs, looking quite surprised with himself. "You did beautifully Mozenrath." Aladdin said kindly and put a hand on the man's shoulder.

"I told him I wasn't his…" Mozenrath whispered. "But that was a lie." He touch his markings. "I'm still his Aladdin. Until his power dies out and he is no longer in this existence…I am still Diriel's."

Aladdin bit his lip and could not think of what to say. There was a moment, a brief moment, where he wanted to do something very reckless right then. He was struck with the desire to hold Mozenrath, clutch him close and wrap him in strong arms, show him that it was alright, that he was safe here.

_But is he safe with you?_

Aladdin's imagination went further. His imagined lifting the head, tilting it to his to lay his lips down on firm, lush ones. He could feel the sorcerers lips pressing back, passionately, wanting him, enveloping him in a wild lust. Without thinking he had already reached out to smoothly brush aside a stray black hair from Mozenrath's face. He heard a gasp…and turned his head. Jasmine was standing at the bottom of the stairs, a dead pan look on her beautiful face.


	12. Chapter 11

Beds lay cold for nearly a week.

Aladdin and Jasmine were at odds now, and it wasn't hard to tell everyone knew it. The servants, (most likely to be abused during such a period), were careful to tread lightly around both their Sultan and Sultana. There had been an argument, loud but inarticulate from the other side of the big gold gilded doors that made up the room of the 'happily married couple'. It raged well into the night, ending somewhere near dawn where Aladdin finally tore out of the bedchambers, face red with anger and embarrassment, and took to the second set of royal suits, locking the knob behind him.

But outside marital difficulties, a war still raged. Diriel could not penetrate the carefully built shield around Agrabah's main city, but he was doing his worst on all he could reach. Crops and fields, as well as the small villages that maintained them were burned and ravaged. His demonic creatures had taken the bodies of those captured in the outer lands and rammed a pike through them in the worst possible way, leaving their bodies on display along the sands of Agrabah's wall.

Some of the poor men and women were still alive.

And yet even to those who would take this opportunity as just cause to throw Mozenrath over the wall, they knew it was too late. Aladdin had made his decision, as Sultan, to protect this pathetic sorcerer…not even a sorcerer. A slave. To stand against him in this would be considered an act of treason. The nobles of the council had hitched themselves to his star.

Even if it was to fall.

Jasmine, alone in her own rooms, wept constantly. She did as all women do when they find that their loves heart may belong to another. She cried, her stomach hollow to the core with anger, blame, guilt, hatred.

_It is his fault!_ She roared to herself, the image of Mozenrath appearing to easily in her head. _It is the fault of that whore! He plays his innocence all too well. He bleeds, he bow, he cries out in pain and Aladdin is taken advantage of. His heart, which clearly is as black as each hair on his head will use this to undermine me. Me! Aladdin rightful wife. It is my place, my happiness to be with him! I have risked everything so that he would sit with me on the thrones. So that Aladdin and I could make this kingdom ours! And he will ruin it! Mozenrath will ruin it with lust and pity out of vengeance towards us!_

Jasmine threw her head into her hands, crying until her vanity mirror shook with the same force as her body. She felt at sometimes like such a silly little girl. Like a spoiled princess who cried because she could not have what she wanted. Didn't she love Aladdin? Didn't she? Then didn't she trust his love for her. He had told her about this kiss. The frustrated, angry, hurtful kiss. And she knew, thanks to her dear Rasoul who stood guard every night over the sorcerers chambers), that his bed had gone as empty as her's over the last week. If Aladdin didn't love her then wouldn't he have taken this tiff as his advantage to go to Mozenrath and…

And yet she knew for a fact that each time he had visited Mozenrath before there had been nothing between them. No longing kiss and glance. No bodily caresses of desire. She could feel the tension as thick as mud but he had not physically betrayed her. Maybe she was over dramatizing the whole thing. Maybe she was being a brat and an idiot.

_Maybe if I'd been a better wife. _She though and looked at herself. She was the picture of Arabic beauty. Skin as perfect a color as caramel. Eyes wide and brown and intelligent. Her body was curved and ready, beautifully proportioned and decked as befitted a princess. Men _desired_ her! She had known this from the time her first suitor had come through the gates! And man after man she had turned down for all their jewels and silks and kingdom. Prince after Sultan after King she had refused because for all the wanton in their eyes when they looked at her, she could see nothing of love.

And then Aladdin. Who made her feel special. Who made her feel loved. He did love her. That was apparent in every time they touch and kissed. When he lay beside her in bed and wrapped a protective/possessive arm around her middle. When he looked at her and the bright light of his honey eyes shone at her. He did love her.

So the fault must be her own.

How long had they been married now? Two years going on three. A good wife would have been heavy with child by now. It wasn't as if she hadn't tried often and with great fervor. And yet through all their lovemaking and active participation, her belly remained hollow and without life.

She had gone to her handmaidens, the ones with five or six babies at home and a belly already pouching with number seven, and asked them how it was to be done. She had downed all sorts of nauseating mixtures and put little totem dolls under her bed that smelled of horse sweat and berries. She had even gone so far as to stand on her head right after wards, (with Aladdin deep in sleep), in hopes of helping everything reach it's proper place.

Nothing.

_If I was a better wife I would have swelled by now. Then I could bare his child. He would be more mine than he could ever be any harem girls or slaves…_

_…or Mozenrath's. _

Jasmine looked around. She had dismissed her servants and guards for time alone to think. Her bedroom was empty save of herself and the quarters fitted the mistress's mood. She went to her closet and walked to the very back, digging past old outfits and shoes till she reached a battered old box in the back. With tender hands she pulled it open and withdrew a small scrap of cloth. It shone pale violet it in the candle light, sparkling with little gold twine used to sew it together. It was old, wrinkled, and the color had faded along the edges. But as Jasmine held it to her face and breathed in deep, she could smell things familiar only to her. Hair oiled with almond extract and skin smoothed with coco butter. She could smell female and warmth and tenderness all in one and it comforted her.

She kissed the cloth quietly. The one relic of her mother she had salvaged from all the old rooms being cleaned out. She had never known the Sultana who had possessed her father's love. She could not remember it, but when her mother had died in childbirth with her brother, her father had become completely inconsolable. It was only after Jasmine had begun to resemble her mother that his temper had cooled and he became more as a Sultan should be.

Jasmine thumbed the cloth, thinking as the moonlight shown upon her. _A child._ She though as she leaned upon the siding. _A child would solve so much of this. I would hold in myself more of Aladdin than any other ever could. I would be a better wife…a better Sultana…_

I would be a Sultana like my mother was.

Jasmine caressed the cloth, rubbing it against the soft part of her cheek. A knock sounded at the door and she turned, her lips pursed. "I do not want to be disturbed." She said shortly. The creak of a door opening reached her ears and Jasmine turned, standing with regal pride and hiding the cloth behind her. ""I said I do not want…oh!" she paused as she saw Eden standing in the hall with a tray with her dinner on it. "Eden. I'm sorry I didn't realize it was you."

The female djinn smiled a little and came forward. "It's okay. I figured you wouldn't want a servant to bring this up." She took the food and put it on a little table. "I though you might want some company though. You've barely come out all week."

"Not that it seems to matter." She said ruefully and Eden flinched. "Well do I need to lie to myself Eden?" she asked. "Where is Aladdin? Has he tried once to open those doors and apologize to me? Had he…has he flown up on carpet to my balcony and tried to win back my love?" she shook her head, feeling rage brim again. She wanted so badly to control herself but the humiliation was just too great. Bad enough her husband now turned to a man's bed, but to ignore his wife completely! It was beyond insult!

"If he had?" Eden asked patiently, sitting down beside the young princess. "If he had tried would it have helped or would you have thrown something at him?"

Jasmine made a soft snort of laughter. In the middle of their fighting she had launched a vase at Aladdin's head and hadn't missed. "Is he alright?" she whispered, truly concerned.

"Oh fine. Boys skull is as thick as a rock." The green djinn shrugged. "He didn't even need stitching." She handed the Sultana a glass of tea and took hold of a thick brush. "Here…my mother used to do this for me." She undid the long, thick hair and began to bush it bit by bit, taking a firm but gentle hold.

Jasmine felt the tension roll out of her shoulders. "I didn't know genies had parents." She said absently and then realized what she said might be taken offensively. She looked up at Eden and blanched. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to…"

"It's alright. I mean most people don't really bother to ask genies many questions do they?" she said softly.

Jasmine blushed and changed the subject. "And…Eden I need you to be honest with me." She turned to the woman and took her hands. She did not trust Rasoul to be entirely honest, even if it was because he was afraid of her wrath. "Has Aladdin…"

"He hasn't gone anywhere near Mozenrath." Eden said straight forward. "He's been going straight from his bedchambers to council, then checks on the guards and disappears back into his rooms again."

The Sultana could not help some glow of satisfaction to know he was as miserable without her as she without him. "And Mozenrath?" she questioned, gulping on his name.

She seemed to pause for a moment, giving Jasmine a long look before answering. "He's staying out of the way. Every time a guard opens the door to check on him he flinches. It's like he expects a death warrant to be handed to him at any moment." She was searching Jasmine's face with unbearable scrutiny, looking for any indication that might be where her thoughts led.

The Sultana avoided her eyes. Angry as she was, the though of having the sorcerer killed had yet to enter her fantasies. "Am I being a horrible bitch Eden?"

"Not a horrible one no." She answered honestly.

"I prepared myself a long time ago for the eventuality of other women." Jasmine said shortly. "My father, who loved my mother so much her death nearly drove him insane, had harem women. His father had harem women. And his fathers father had harem women. It was an unavoidable fact that Aladdin would as well. I was ready for that! I was prepared for it." She hung her head and whimpered pitifully. "But not for him to fall in _love_ with another."

"Are you sure it's love?" Eden said suggestively. "Mozenrath is…an attractive man. Are you sure it isn't just a passing lust?" She suggested it more from kindness than anything else. And Jasmine caught the inflection.

Eden was trying to help, and she blessed the djinn for that. But she knew the truth of it. She had watched, half in jealousy, half in sympathy as the two en grew closer. She could sense their need, both mental and physical of one another and she felt canceled out. Was that it? Was her problem not with Aladdin's loving another but fear of him no longer loving her?

_I could not bare it! _Jasmine felt her eyes burn with tears ready to brim over. _I could not bare it if I could not have his love! Please, Allah, I will be a better wife! I will bare a thousand sons and share my husband unguardedly but do not make it so that he no longer loves me! _

Eden was not surprised to see Jasmine start crying for no apparent reason was, after all was said and done, a woman. And women do not question another woman's tears and sorrows. They simply rear out their arms and hold one another, Friend's becoming sisters within instants.


	13. Chapter 12

Crickets chirped peacefully in the night air, carrying their placid tune through the streets of Agrabah. Most folk had already gone to bed, slumbering under the impression that if the magical barrier had held this long, it would surely hold through the night. Guards paced the wall back and forth, their eyes on the dark red tents of the demon army.

It was a frightening thing to watch, for though a gentle breeze stirred their sands no tent flap rustled. No campfire was lit among their numbers, no sound of ranks chatting in camaraderie. The silence was altogether inhuman. The guards kept their stance though, to their immense credit, and noted every shadow on the horizon.

Diriel sat in his massive tent, the opulence of his bedchambers at the citadel spread around him. On the posts of his day couch were four sets of crude manacles, each covered by now in blood both old and new. He had been making use of the captive villagers to keep his energies high. It would have to do for now, but common life would only sustain him physically, and only for so long.

He needed Mozenrath.

He could feel his power weakening by the hour now. Little by little his strength was yielding. It was an uncomfortable feeling to know his power dwindled as Mozenrath lay comfortably, serving a new master. Diriel snarled and looked at one of the terrified lesser occupants of his tent. He debated sating his rage on one of them. It would help him think better, calm his nerves for a bit. But beyond that it would be useless.

He needed Mozenrath!

Diriel, capable of rage as he was, was also capable of deadly calm. He settled his body into the silks and pillows, relaxing his muscles. There were options he had yet to entertain. He still had time. Much could change in the course of a week. He merely had to think and move his pieces carefully.

_A way in._ He thought simply. _I require a way past the barrier. Past the barrier and the wall. Humm…_ Diriel let out a slow whistle through his teeth and chuckled. "Barae'." He whispered enigmatically.

Even the poor peasant folk could feel the change in pressure through the tent. The flap opened , not as if in a breeze, but swung suddenly and purposefully. Yet nothing seemed to enter. There was only a darkness that had not been there before, an ink patch of blackness that seemed to moisten the candles and cast out their light.

That same darkness did not speak, but moved in a glide to Diriel, and all felt keenly aware of being watched. "Barae." Diriel said shortly. "I am pleased to see you."

The shadow did not respond, yet there was a dense, wind like hiss that permeated his? Being. "I can not cross into the walls, their barrier creates a dome and I can not unlock the gates to let myself and mine in." The hiss sounded again and Diriel shook his head. "No. Don't bother. Insubstantial as you are I doubt if you could lift the barricade. I have a mission more suited to your…special talents." The shadow caved into itself, shivering in what might have been a laugh. Diriel smirked.

One of the guards stood atop Agrabah's wall, leaning calmly, if alert, against his spear. The stars glowed over head so as to surpass even the torch light by his post. While his fellows chattered and talked amongst themselves, his eyes were trained on the large tent in the center of the invading army. He could seem dim candle light and one…no… was it two shadows in there? One of them moved simply too fast to be more than smoke. His trained eyes caught the second lift of the tent flap that night, but for all his skill he could not see what, if anything entered or exited.

Shadows in the sands go unnoticed by even the most careful sentinel.

And, where cracks in the mortar and spackle are useless to a solid form, they are doors wide open to fog and mist and moisture. And that was what moved through them, impervious to the specifically keyed spell in the barrier. It kept out only what it was meant to keep out, a thing with a handicap to locks and barred doors. These things meant nothing to the insubstantial.

One of the wall men slumped against the siding, eyelids flickering weakly. Before his commander could reprimand him they both crumpled where they stood, the sound of soft breathing coming from their sleeping forms. The torch flickered in the sudden, violent breeze and then went out, leaving the alleys darkened.

Barae paid no attention to the few about at this time of night. Mostly cutthroats and thieves, beggars and others doing deeds less conspicuous in the dark. As he passed them their frame lay crumpled at their positions, deep in slumber, attentive only to their own dreams. Barae moved through out the city like a fine mist, aware only of his mission.

The vase of flowers ruffled as a chilled breeze came in through the open balcony. The curtains shivered fearfully and in a sudden flourish, all was still. The young man in the bed did not stir as his candles extinguished themselves. The shadow man moved to the end of his bed, hissing softly as Aladdin turned over. Barae ran his hands over the silken fabric of the sheets whispered something in a guttural tongue. Aladdin twitched, but did not awaken.

He crawled, (if such a thing could be said to crawl), more like slithered across the sheets, causing no imprint of divot to show he'd been there. Barae's form, what little of one he had, lay atop Aladdin's body, inspecting the unsuspecting boy. With a feature light touch he grazed Aladdin's torso, uncovering the tanned chest. Aladdin breathed with no less ease as the shadow thing caressed his face one, and slipped a long, black finger into his mouth, probing it deeper and deeper into his body.

Aladdin's eyes flickered and Barae chuckled darkly. He began to speak again, his soft, throaty voice like something from a nightmare. **_'Show me your thoughts boy. Show me your fears. I will help them. I fill make them real.'_** Barae hissed and pushed his 'hand' into Aladdin's throat, making the heroes heart beat slow. The intention was not to kill him. That would have been impossible for one such as Barae to accomplish. No, there were much darker things in store for this young man.

_Aladdin banged his hands against the doors of his wife's bedroom. No servant walked the halls though it was broad daylight, no sound came from within to give any indication of distress. And yet Aladdin could not shake this feeling of need. He must get inside those doors! Something was happening inside that bedroom he needed to see. _

_"Open up! Open these doors now Jasmine!" He hollered and slammed his fists down with all his might, the force of it rattling the frame. "Open up!"_

_A click echoed in his ears and Aladdin had the creepiest sensation of deja vu. With his breath heavy and his mind weighted, Aladdin sprung the doors wide open, his eyes fogging in the early morning light as it came through the window. "Jasmine!" he called out, shielding his eyes from the sun. he took a step forward and gasped. A warm, moist feeling spread over his toes and Aladdin looked up to the bed where Jasmine should lay. _

_A figure sat upright, head aimed towards the ceiling. _

_"Jasmine!" Aladdin called and ran forward. His eyes adjusted and as he grasped the firm shoulders he saw Mozenrath's face come into view. "Mozenrath! Wha…? Where is Jasmine?" he questioned sharply. _

_Mozenrath chuckled, not looking directly at him. "Why she's right here Aladdin? Are you blind?" he tilted his head slowly towards Aladdin, the left half of his face covered in thick red blood. Aladdin recoiled with a disgusted sound. Only then did he notice the figure on the bed. _

_Jasmine!_

_Her body was so bent and twisted she was barely recognizable! The dark hair he had caressed so many times before now lay limp against her honey colored skin. Not a breath stirred from her mouth. Her eyes did not move to look at him. She lay motionless. _

_"Ja….Jas…" Aladdin could feel tears streaming down his face as tiny drops of blood slipped of her perfectly manicured nails and onto the floor. "Jasmine! What did you do to her?" he grabbed Mozenrath and threw him on the marble, the pale naked body flopping on the floor like a rag doll. But the rag doll pick itself up to stare at him with insane eyes._

_"She's out of the way now Aladdin." Mozenrath whispered in a voice near a hiss. The shadows on his face darkened as his hair, clotted with life fluid streak across his face. "You don't need to worry about her interference any more. We can be together…" Mozenrath crawled across the blood slicked marble. "You can do what ever you want without that nasty hag to complain." _

_"Not this way." Aladdin whispered in a terrified voice. "I didn't want it this way." He gulped as Mozenrath grabbed the front of his robe and tore it open, spread his thighs with wet hands. "I didn't want to loose her…"_

_"Now your just being silly." Mozenrath said, kissing up Aladdin's thighs with soft, tantalizing kisses. "You can't have your cake and eat it too Aladdin." He licked deviously close to Aladdin's cock, a mad smile playing on his lush lips. "You want me…I can taste it when we are close, I can smell it when we are not. But mean ole' Jasmine just can't handle a little competition." Mozenrath slipped his lips against the bridge of Aladdin's manhood. _

_"No!" Aladdin brought his fist down before he'd even realized what he'd done. Mozenrath went sprawling and he rushed to the dead Jasmine's side, taking her close in his arms. "No…Jasmine…I'm so sorry…not like this…" he kissed her cheek, the salty taste of blood touching his tongue. _

_"Do you love him Aladdin?"_

_Aladdin nearly dropped her. Jasmine head twisted on it's broken neck, using her shoulder for support to look at him. "Do you love him Aladdin? Or did you betray me for a fuck?"_

_Now he did drop her onto the bed, backing away as his robes clung to his arms. "Wha…I…I never….I didn't…"_

_"DIDN'T YOU!" she screamed, her eyes glaring without the spark of life. "Didn't you." This time in a deadly whisper. "In your mind you betrayed me a thousand times. I am glad to be dead. I am glad he killed me. Now you can both be happy." she said with a sad smile and her body went limp again. _

_Aladdin opened his mouth to scream, but no sound came out. The whole of his interior went dead quiet, and even when Mozenrath crawled atop his body and began to kiss him, no noise permeated the surreal world he seemed to be in. "Jasmine." He mouthed, aware he was saying it even though he did not speak. "I'm so sorry."_

Barae hissed a low chuckle as he felt Aladdin flinch and groan under him. A tear glistened in the moon light and the look on his face was one of sheer agony. He withdrew his finger from Aladdin, assured that the dream was already well under way. He slipped under the door without a sound, moving in for his next target.


	14. Chapter 13

_Jasmine looked at herself in the mirror, swelling with pride…_

_…and with child._

_She sang a little song under her breath for the first time in weeks, rubbing her fingers over the precious bulge in her stomach. She was alright now. Everything was alright within her own little world. She was pregnant with what was sure to be a son, Aladdin sat on the divan with a bright smile on his handsome face, proud of her and as in love as ever. Birds chirped outside and the whole world smelled of flowers. _

_And Mozenrath was no where to be seen. _

_A kick hit firmly in her belly and Jasmine nearly squealed in joy, her face turning towards the Aladdin. 'He kicked.' She mouthed in silence, uncaring that her words did not seem to escape. What did that matter when Aladdin was holding his hand to her flesh, feeling the swell that made her his wife. _

_A giggle, high pitched and child like, caught her attention. Jasmine turned to answer it and was mildly surprised to see herself standing no longer in her bedchambers, but in the palace gardens. 'What? Hello?' she called and the giggle answered. From behind one of the statues she could see a shadow, perhaps half her height, with it's hands held to it's mouth in glee. _

_Jasmine smiled and ran forward. "Come on now…come out…I won't hurt you." She smiled and the shadows turned. The child's laugh came suddenly from behind her, across the garden pool and near the gates. She could see the young figure, a boy, dressed in simple palace day wear. As the child turned, she caught a glimpse of her eyes and Aladdin's lips. _

_"So there you are…" she said his name, but again it made no sound from her lips. "I have been looking all over for you. Your father wants to see how big you've grown." She smiled and held out her arms, following him through the gates. _

_The boy smiled and shook his head. "Chase me mother…" his voice sounded strange, far away and echoed. "Come and chase me." He turned to run and suddenly seemed very far away. _

_Jasmine giggled and ran after him, gathering up her skirts to play hide and seek among Agrabah's buildings._

Barae was very careful not to disturb Jasmine as she slipped slowly from her bed and stood up, eyes still shut. She did not have the dumbfounded look of most sleep walkers, but instead a purposeful and steady stride. He extracted himself one again, letting her breath hit the chilled air and guiding her towards the hallway.

He came in close, opening his wide mouth to speak in a frightening voice. **_'I_**

**_Wanna go outside mama. Please, take me out to see the river boats.'_**

"River boats." Jasmine whispered softly and began to head towards the private gardens for visiting ambassadors.

Barae slithered close to the wall and watched the young woman glide down the hallways in her silky night gown. For a brief moment, he considered tampering with her mind in a different way. Diriel's tastes might run to men, but the same was not true for all his ilk. But no, he had a mission he had not yet completed. Time was wasting and he was not at his best during the daylight hours.

Mozenrath lay on his couch, unsleeping. Half a month had passed now with sixteen days left to go. Mozenrath knew he was not the only one within these walls counting every sun rise and sun set. And though each dawn gave him a little more hope, each dusk reminded him how long was still to be waited out. But little by little it passed. Enough now that he was starting to allow himself more contemplation than he'd had the luxury for recently.

He felt…badly…for causing Aladdin and Jasmine's tiff. It was not as though he was consciously aware of what he was doing. He had not set out with the intention of making Aladdin…want him. But it would be a lie to say he did not provide encouragement even when Aladdin had told him his intentions. He had even…hoped…a little more than he should have when the hero Sultan took hold of his arms and showed such sincere concern for him facing down Diriel.

And Jasmine had been kind to him. She did not like him. He could tell that. And he didn't really feel as though eh had the right to blame her. Not after all he'd done. Aladdin was the forgiving sort, but then he'd always had that luxury. But as much as she might resent his presence and Aladdin's possible desire for him, she had not done a great many of the things she could have done to him. Execution, would have been the worst case scenario, extreme torture right under it. And yet even when she had worried that Aladdin might have betrayed her, she gave him her protection.

_"If Aladdin ever threatens to be rid of you I won't let him."_

If she was really that threatened by his presence she would not have given her word to protect him. But then she had refused to give reason why she did so. Mozenrath had an inkling, and it was as comforting as it was shameful.

She pitied him.

By now his past was obvious. If Aladdin knew about it from the bird then no doubt Jasmine knew. And if those two knew then the djinn was likely to know. It was humiliating to realize how many might well know how he had been used through out his life. Even more so to have to look at them from day to day. And yet for all that they did not find him disgusting or repulsive. Well…not any more. He was here, in the palace he had tried so many times to conquer, being treated as a 'guest'. Being extended the same courtesy and protection one might offer a dear friend.

It was humiliating and comforting at the same time.

He could deal with humiliation. Hadn't he dealt with it for a while now? But somehow it was different with these people. He actually _wanted_ their respect, unlikely as he was to have anything but their sympathy. Mozenrath wanted them to see him as a equal. For once in his life he actually felt as though he was deserving of…

_It will never happen._ Mozenrath silently confirmed as he drank a glass of water. _And I have no right to want it. Better to remain a slave. I can handle that. I could even…want that._

Ah yes, want. It was clear to him now how much he wanted Aladdin. Before he had been only aware of earning his keep, carving out a notch for himself in his 'new master's' life so as to be indispensable. It had been a recent revelation, albeit a shocking one, to realize he did not need to spread his thighs to keep him place here. Aladdin simply would not take advantage of him.

Was it horrible that he wanted him too.

He could sense the desire when the came close, energy between their bodies snapping like lightning. Mozenrath could sense the heat building through Aladdin as accurately as if he'd been on fire. And, in a way that made him shiver, Mozenrath felt his own body return the heat. He realized he was willing, eager even! If Aladdin walked through those doors, seeking comfort and affection while Jasmine raged at him, Mozenrath would open his arms and provide it with every ounce of his being.

Guilt. It cropped up on him silently, knowing where to poke and prod. Guilt at himself for betraying the kindness of the Sultana. Guilt at himself for physical want. _Maybe I really am a whore. A dirty slut good for nothing but bed pleasures._

No! He was not that any more! He had told Diriel that he was no long any ones property. What he did with his body from now on was no one elses choice but his own. A whore had no options. A whore gives when they are told and takes the payment. Aladdin he could have for no one but himself.

Or maybe he was being too hasty. His body had been…frustrated…as of late. The confusing mix of emotions combined with the physical preparation of being used each night was making him a little edgy. Mozenrath had been taking a great many cold baths as of late.

A sound hit his ears and he turned to see the door click open. "Hello?" Mozenrath asked carefully, curious as to who would call this late at night, and maybe a little hopeful.

Aladdin walked in the door, looking a little odd…for himself at least. There was a quirky, uncharacteristic smile on his face, like maybe he was thinking something clever. "Ah, your still awake…good." There was something odd about his voice, it sounded a little off.

Mozenrath felt his breath still as he saw what Aladdin was wearing. A long robe made from a translucent material. His figure was clearly visible under the fabric, though specifics could not be seen. "Aladdin…" Mozenrath whispered and did not move from the bed. Dared he believe it?

Aladdin did not move in like hawk for the kill. He sidled up to the bed and slipped onto the covers gently. "It's alright Moze." He said, hissing his syllables a little. Was he nervous? "I'm here to take care of you." He said and firmly slipped a hand around Mozenrath's neck.

A freezing cold sensation spread over Mozenrath's spine and he jerked away, throwing himself as far from this being as possible. "You are not Aladdin." He said in a quiet but firm voice.

The psyudo-Aladdin frowned, and threw himself atop Mozenrath. His weight pressed into Mozenrath's chest, forcing the struggling sorcerer to the bed. "Don't scream!" the entity said in a dark voice. He slapped his hand over Mozenrath's mouth, pinning the sorcerers hands above his head. "Now now…just because you were clever enough to figure things out doesn't mean your friends are." Mozenrath's eyes widened and he tossed himself too and fro, trying to get out of the hard grip.

"Do you not know the meaning of silence!" the creature wrenched his grip, twisting the arms painfully and digging his 'nails' into Mozenrath's cheeks. "What's the matter?" his voice lulled back into a seductive tone. "Isn't this what you want?" The Aladdin face smiled at him and the sheets on Mozenrath's body seemed to glide away onto the floor. With startling realness Mozenrath could feel the hard press of a phallus at his thigh and gasped. "Yes." The hissing again. "You do want this don't you? Just relax Moze…I can make this very pleasant or very hard on you."

With a flare of anger Mozenrath bit down on the hand as hard as he could. The Aladdin thing reared, his whole arm evaporating into black smoke. A horrible, low hiss escaped and Mozenrath spat. "You are not Aladdin!" he accused. "Don't you dare touch me you fucking thing!" he hollered.

A hard back hand sent him sprawling, still from the Aladdin face. But as he rose, Mozenrath saw the familiar white hair and golden body stand above him. "No…" he began, watching as the glowing red eyes and deadly fangs of his master drew closer. "No! You are not Diriel!" he hollered. "He can _not _come within the borders! He can not!" Mozenrath's voice was far from high pitched and frighten. He stood with his own bold tenacity and glared. "Whatever you are, you are nothing that had touched me before. Who are you demon?"

The Diriel laughed, shifting between Aladdin and Diriel as he shook. "Clever sorcerer." He made a growling sound in the back of his throat. "He said you were quite clever though."

"Diriel sent you." Mozenrath said darkly.

"Of course. But I did not expect you to see the ruse so quickly." The thing pulsed out of the forms and into a thick black fog, swirling around the room. "But how clever are you? Can you see the rest of the plot hum?"

Mozenrath's first thought went to Aladdin. He ran past the creature to the doors, flinging them open…

…and coming face to face with a chasm.

"Wha…what the…?" Mozenrath gripped the door frame, looking out into the abyss. "I'm dreaming…" he realized suddenly. "I'm dreaming…none of this is real."

"Smart boy." Barae chuckled at him.

"If I'm dreaming, then I can just wake up." Mozenrath said and pinched himself hard.

Nothing happened.

"Not that easy fool not that easy." The black fog chuckled like dry leaves and moved closer to Mozenrath. "I can keep you asleep for many hours Mozenrath…unless you give me what I want. And by then your friends…well…" he made a gesture of slicing across himself and blood gushed from the opening.

"And what do you want?" Mozenrath said, dreading the answer.

The thing shifted back into Aladdin, now naked as the day he was born. The psyudo Aladdin strolled closer, grasping Mozenrath's hair and snapping his head back. "Diriel is very angry with you whore." He made a brazen move, grasp Mozenrath's genitals and squeezing them hard. "You've betrayed him…with a street rat no less."

"Don't call him that!" Mozenrath snapped defensively and was backhanded again. Blood welled up from the corner of his mouth and Mozenrath winced. "I did not betray him anyhow." He said defensively. "Aladdin and I have done nothing."

"Ah but you desire it. And so does he. It won't take long before flesh meets were minds have already ventured." The Face of Aladdin glared down at him. As if it were a snake, rope twined out from behind the things wrists, binding Mozenrath's hands and feet. The sorcerer fell to the floor and looked up at his attacker. "You want to help your little beloved then Moze?"

Mozenrath nodded. Afraid of what was coming next.

"Diriel is very angry with you." The thing repeated. "You deserve to be punished." A long whip appeared in the psyudo-Aladdin's hand. "Let's see how much you love him after he's beaten the flesh from you."

Dreams may not be real, but they can hurt just as much. Especially if your tormentor is the one you most trust. Mozenrath could not but feel the eyes of Aladdin him as his image lashed the hard leather against his exposed body again and again. Blood came from him in bucket loads, spreading on the floor, clotting his hair and streaking his face. The beating continued for what seemed like hours, until he felt all strength leave him and all his eyes fogged with agony.

"Not even a scream for me sorcerer. How disappointing." The Aladdin face grinned.

"It's not real. It's just a dream." Mozenrath said, though he didn't sound like he believed it.

'Aladdin' chuckled and shook his head. "Very well, I have done what I was told. Wake up Moze. You might just be in time to save her."

Mozenrath sat straight up in bed, his eyes wide and fearful. He did not wait to question the reality of his dreams but flung himself from the bed, clutching a robe and barely getting it tied before he hit the door.

_Jasmine laughed as her child jumped fro stone to stone on the walking path. "**Come on mom! The river is just outside this door! We can watch the boats and maybe go sailing!" **he said excitedly and took her hand, leading her to the little door in the private gardens. It was mainly a servants entrance, kept so that slaves and such could come in and out without disturbance. But it was also useful if one wanted to take their little royal child out without a big fuss. _

_But the little one seemed to be struggling with the large brass handle. "Here. It's quite heavy. Just let me." Jasmine said and reached for the door knob._

Aladdin was wrenched from his dreams as loud banging came from his door. He threw on a robe and pulled the doors open, eyes still hazy. "Who in the world…'

There was Mozenrath, streaked in blood and looking up at him with an almost insane glare in his face.

…_so bent and twisted she was barely recognizable! The dark hair he had caressed so many times before now lay limp against her honey colored skin. Not a breath stirred from her mouth. Her eyes did not move to look at him…_

"What did you do to Jasmine!" Aladdin hollered, throwing Mozenrath against the wall. "What did you do to her you sick bastered!"

Mozenrath was in shock as Aladdin reared up and hand and struck him to the ground. This was worse than any dream beating. His whole world seemed to crumble in one instant from under him and he screamed.

It was just enough to halt Aladdin's next enraged blow. It was as if a fog had cleared from his mind and he saw that the blood did not come from another, but from hundreds of tiny cuts in the sorcerers flesh. Had the man been cutting himself intentionally? "Moze…oh Allah Moze I'm so sorry…"

"Don't touch me!" Mozenrath shrieked and recoiled from him on the floor. He had screamed so loud that servants were poking their heads from the bedrooms, wondering who on earth could be causing such a commotion.

"Moze…please…I'm so sorry. I had this horrible dream…"

"Dream…wait!" Mozenrath sat up shakily. Right before he had woken up…hadn't that creature said her? "Aladdin where is Jasmine?" he asked quickly.

Jasmine suddenly felt terribly cold. The vision of her little boy faded from sight and something seemed to be taking it's place. Someone tall stood in front of her, a golden statue with long flowing white hair. "What…!" her eyes fluttered open and she shook herself. "What in the world…?" Glowing red eyes pierced her vision as Diriel calmly shut the servants door behind her.

"Hello Sultana." He said calmly.

Mozenrath's arms burned with the signals at the same moment Jasmine's scream echoed in the air.


	15. Chapter 14

Dawn rose red and angry. No horn was needed to make the occupants realize that Diriel sat atop his horse just outside of Agrabah's barrier. No one needed to be told what had happened over the course of the night, some how they all seemed to know. People mourned in the streets, not knowing if their Sultana was alive or dead or worse.

But those who's rooftops stood high could see the horrible damage.

Jasmine was there, the demon army behind her. She was alive, though that did not make her position any better Two intricately carved posts had been stuck in the sand, and the beautiful young woman strung naked between them. In her mouth a large red ball had been rammed and tied on around her neck. Her breasts, heavy and firm, had been tied with rope and the pert, perky nipples had been clamped with little weights on them, causing spasms of pain in her body. Her body glistened with sweat and sand as she shook, ebony hair framing her beautiful face. That much was a blessing, but who knew what was going to be done to her before any rescue could be mounted?

Jasmine screamed into her ball gag as Diriel stroked her hair back. "Now now your majesty." He said in a calming voice. "I'm not after you. All your husband need do is give me what's mine, and I will leave you here to be saved." He chucked her chin up to see him. "If not however…" he gestured to his army. Jasmine's legs had been bound to the posts as well as her arms and the hoard stared lustfully at her exposed womanhood.

Diriel laughed as Jasmine tried to struggle. "I suppose you'll find out who means the most to your dear Aladdin now won't you?" he said and kicked his heels into the horse. "Now don't give me that look." He chuckled and took a long bullwhip from one of his servants. "It isn't my fault your husband got you into this." He raised the whip and landed it across Jasmine's naked back.

Jasmine had never had so much as a spanking in her entire life. She had never felt the splitting, welting pain of a lash on her back. Her mind went blank and she screamed out. Blood trickled down her spine and off the cusp of her hip.

Aladdin appeared, forcing himself to remain standing. At the sight of Jasmine he felt his knees buckle and his chest constrict. Only the training he had been given kept him erect and even then it took the support of the wall to hold him there. But the look in his eyes as he saw his beloved, tied out and humiliated before her own people, was burning, unrelenting hatred.

Diriel smirked. "Sultan Aladdin…I have been unequivicabaly patient with you. I have given you every opportunity to resolve this peacefully and without further humiliation to yourself and your wife. Now I am through playing your games!" he roared. "Give me Mozenrath!" He brandished the whip again and landed it across Jasmine's back. Her body went ridged and she screamed, the sound echoing even with the gag. "Now!"

"Open the gates." Aladdin said through gritted teeth and began to walk down the stairs without another word to Diriel. The guards stood stock still for an instant, unsure of what they were hearing. "I said open them!" he hollered and turned to see Genie standing there.

"Al! Have you lost your mind? What are you thinking?" the blue djinn held his shoulders but Aladdin threw them off. 'You can't go out there Al!"

"I said open the damn gates!" Aladdin yelled and pushed away from his friend. "I won't let him do this to Jasmine!" he took hold of his sword and began to mount a horse.

"Sire!" Rasoul stepped forward and took the reigns. "Sultan Aladdin you can not go out there yourself! It's suicide!"

"He's got Jasmine!" Aladdin said desperately. "Allah knows what he's going to do to her! I will not let him torture her while I sit here safe!"

"Your majesty there is an easier way." Rasoul insisted. "Just give him the sorcerer!" The guard said as though they were all fools not to have seen it earlier.

Aladdin's look darkened. "He is not mine to give." Aladdin said firmly and kicked the reigns back.

But Rasoul, whatever else people might say about him, was loyal to his Sultan. He took hold of Aladdin's heel and jerked him off the horse in one firm snap. Aladdin fell into the hay and looked up just in time to see Rasoul and Genie slam down on his arms, holding him steady. "We can not sacrifice our Sultan…not even for the sake of our Sultana."

"Let me go! How dare you lay hands on your Sultan!" he raged, using his rank in hopes of getting them to obey. But they ignored him. "Damn it if you do not let go of me he's going to kill Jasmine! Do you want that to happen you idiots!" He wrenched an arm free and landed a punch in the guards eye. "Let me go!"

"Aladdin!"

Mozenrath's voice sounded from the door way to the stables. Everyone froze for an instant and looked to the sorcerer. "Aladdin you need to listen to me." Mozenrath said without hesitation. "You have no idea how strong Diriel is, especially when he becomes angry. If you go out there alone he will tear you to shreds and then do whatever he wants to Jasmine anyhow."

Aladdin sat up and shrugged the hands away from him. "I can't leave her to him Mozenrath. Not after everything. Not after we argued like that."

"I know." Mozenrath said and laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I wouldn't expect you to, but we have to be careful!" he said firmly. "Please, just give me a minuet to think of something. You assemble the guards and be ready to ride out the gates."

Rasoul rounded. "How can we trust you? You'd let Jasmine die so you can have Aladdin with no competition!"

Aladdin calmed his temper just enough to hear the wisdom in the words. "Alright…alright" he said and gestured to Rasoul. "Get at least two full troops, find them horses and weapons." Despite the purpling bruise on his eyes, the burly chief obeyed, snapping to attention to gather his men. "Mozenrath…"

"I know what to do." He said softly, though his eyes were doubtful. "Just get your men and wait by the gate. Make sure they can swing it open at a moments notice." He turned to the djinn. "If I ask you to, can you draw the barrier up?"

Genie looked at Mozenrath quizzically, but nodded.

"Good, then be prepared to do that the moment I give cue." Mozenrath felt a little shock of exhilaration go through his spine. He suddenly felt quite alive! More so than he had in weeks! "Quickly now." He rushed and ran off to find what he needed.

Diriel raised his whip and lay it across Jasmine's back again. Already she had ten lashes across her fine coffee toned skin. As Diriel became more irritated, he drew the lines with more strength. Jasmine shrieked beautifully with each stripe, her curved body arching as thought trying to get away. Sweat dripped off her chin and hissed in the sands. Tears had stained the make up and now left long black lines on her face. Her teeth were biting down so hard the gag would have permanent marks.

"You've never even been spanked before have you?" Diriel said, not expecting an answer. "Poor little rich girl. Aladdin certainly is taking him time turning Mozenrath over to me." He stepped off his horse, pacing the sands in front of her. "Well if he wants to take his time, then so can I."

Jasmine could not see what was being done as Diriel moved behind her. But her vision was just enough to see his trousers hit the sands, kicking up a cloud of dust. She thrashed to and fro to what little degree she could move. Screeching and whimpering, crying into her gag as she realized what was about to be done to her.

"Do you hear that Aladdin!" Diriel yelled as he readied himself at her entry. "Do you hear her screaming for you to save her!" He called out and without waiting plunged deep into Jasmine's body.

Aladdin heard the scream and Diriel's grunting. His heart wrenched and he looked up at Mozenrath on the wall. _Hurry! Hurry please Mozenrath!_

Mozenrath had before him three items, a piece of white parchment, a quill, and a pot of ink. He seemed to be drawing some sort of archaic signals on their in another language. Each stroke was smooth and artistic done. The scream broke his concentration and as Mozenrath looked up, his face went white. Diriel was bucking solidly inside Jasmine's body, his phallus penetrating her to the deepest level. Mozenrath felt his insides cringe with pity and fear. "No. No you don't." He quickly finished the design and looked about for a bow and arrow.

Diriel grabbed her hips and pushed in deeper, much to the amusement of his army who cheered him on. He could feel her heart beating within her breast and she cried out, every muscle resisting him, trying to push him out. "Not quite as tight as Mozenrath." He taunted her as the raping continued. "I can see why Aladdin would prefer him over you." Jasmine let out a strangled sob and her head bowed.

Diriel pummeled her body, holding her close to him as he felt along her taunt belly. He felt something shiver within her without warning and was nearly so shocked he broke his rhythm. "Well well well." Diriel said and bent over her, pushing in his cock up to the hilt. Jasmine gave a pained noise as his fangs slipped in next to her ear. "Congratulations Jasmine…" he growled. "It seems your carrying Aladdin's son."

Jasmine's eyes widened for a brief instant, then with a sudden ferocity she ripped her leg out of the roped and back kicked into Diriel's gut. He went flying backwards, landing clumsily in the sands.

"You little bitch." He roared and dug his claws deep into her hips, forcing his way in again. "Fine…you want to play it this way…just fine by me!" he punctuated each word with a horrible, agonizing thrust into her body. Blood leaked down from where his claws had punctured as Diriel ejaculated deep inside her body, his mouth opening in a silent roar of triumph. Jasmine made a pathetic scream into her gag, her body heavy with the sudden filthy feeling. Diriel chuckled gave another buck, patting her thighs. "Give Aladdin my best regards." He said smoothly.

The air sliced in two, and an arrow slammed through Diriel's eye.

"Now!" Mozenrath screamed as he lowered his bow.

Chaos erupted all at one. The demon army shrieked as Diriel stumbled backwards and tore at the arrow, now glowing furiously. Thick black blood gushed from his socket as the demons shrieked, helpless to aid him. The barrier was flung down and Agrabah's gates came flying open, the guards and Aladdin pounding on horses with weapons raised.

"Get Jasmine! Get her inside now!" Aladdin called from the head. "No matter what do not stop till she is safe in Agrabah's walls!" the men divided into three groups, two for protection, one to secure the Sultana.

Even with the terrible phase of pain, Diriel saw the gate come open. "Get inside! Get within the walls!" he roared and the demon army surged forward at once, waving their weapons and screaming for blood.

But Mozenrath was prepared for that as well. He was chanting something in a cryptic tongue, focusing his power on the parchment now embedded in Diriel's eye. The flowing sigils on the paper sudden burned orange and yellow and Diriel bellowed in pain. He tried desperately to pull the thing out, but it resisted his grasp and burned deep into his flesh. "AAAAAAHHHHHHGGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!" He roared as his skin blackened and charred and spread on the wind.

Mozenrath pointed his arrow to the head of the encroaching army and fired.

The next arrow landed right in the middle of the encroaching army. An explosion warped the very air and sent devils bodies sailing into the sands, writhing in agony. Again and again Mozenrath fired, driving them as far back from the open gates as he could. "Hurry up Aladdin!" he yelled. "Hurry now!"

Aladdin sliced through the roped holding Jasmine and took her into his arms, cradling the bleeding, bruised body. "Jas…oh Jas I'm so sorry." He whispered and tied her to him. "Back within the walls!" he hollered and the guards, now cutting their way through the attacking hoard, turned on their steeds and stampeded back to the gates.

Diriel caught the movement from the corner of his other eyes. "Stop them! STOP THEM NOW YOU IDIOTS!" he screamed and extended his power. A terrible sound echoed as the horse's knees snapped from the inside, bringing the beasts and their riders to the ground. The army swarmed over them, dragging the poor souls away from the safety of the walls.

Mozenrath kept his arrows aimed right behind the last horse, keeping the demons just off their tail. The gates slammed shut on the tail, catching a few hairs between them. "Genie!"

The barrier slammed back up forcefully just as the demons closed in. Behind the army, Diriel made a noise of pure unfathomable rage.


	16. Chapter 15

"Get it out of me!" Jasmine screamed in a panic. "Get it out of me!"

"Hold her down. Please somebody hold her down!" the doctor yelled out as the servants recoiled from the room in fear. Mirrors and vases went flying as the Sultana spasmed and screamed on the bed.

"Jasmine." Aladdin tried to hold her head, keeping her from thrashing it against something to cause permanent damage. "Jasmine please it's me, Aladdin. Jasmine, Diriel isn't here! Your safe!" he promised and kissed her forehead. "Jas oh Jas."

Jasmine looked up at Aladdin. "Aladdin…please….please he put something inside me…he infected him." She shrieked and clawed the front of his demon fluid drenched robes. She smelled of sweat and sand and an all too familiar stink. The same smell that had hit him when he discovered Mozenrath in Diriel's bedchambers.

Aladdin shook his head in confusion. "I don't understand. He infected who?" Aladdin tried to comfort her, but she was wild eyed and in a panic. She kept clutching her stomach and whimpering nonsensical words at them. Had his wife gone mad? "Jasmine…" he started again and held her still while the doctor inspected her as best he could.

"Aladdin…" she said in a sudden moment of clarity. "He's infected the baby."

And without another word, she passed out.

"A…a…baby!" Aladdin froze in place. "Oh Allah….oh no no no no no no." He shook her lightly. "Jasmine wake up…Jasmine are you sure!" But it was useless, the strain was simply too much both on her body and her mental state. Jasmine was unconscious, though she seemed much more lucid now. "Doctor…?" Aladdin began.

"I won't know till I have the time to check." He said quickly. "Off her!" he pushed Aladdin aside, quickening to the young woman's body. "Let the nurses and I tend to her, we know our craft and there is nothing more you can do in any case." He said quickly. It was the nature of healers to be sharp, but whatever flaws there might be in bedside manner they made up for in skill. Aladdin had no choice but to trust his fragile wife to them for now. "Out! Out now!" the doctor said when Aladdin did not move.

He barely made it out the doors before collapsing on the rug.

"No, no your majesty." Rasoul said and caught himself he fell. "You must not seem weak. Not now at all costs." He glared at the servants who might stop to stare at their sultan's depression. "Please, make it too your rooms, weep there, but not here." He urged.

Even past the flurry of confusion, he knew Rasoul was right. He could not be weak, least of all now. He suffered himself to stand erect and walk with dignity down the hallway. The doors to the suit seemed miles away, and his feet fell like lead on the floor. Nothing in the world seemed to matter as he slammed the doors shut behind him.

His image stared back at him in a mirror.

Lines of red streaked his face and clothes from Jasmine's whip marks. He was sweaty and covered in sand and dirt and demon foulness. This all paled in comparison to how he felt internally.

_You! You worthless wretched street rat! _His own voice assailed him and Aladdin had not the strength to fight it. _Look at what you've done! Look at it! The blood is on your hands and it will never wipe clean. And for what? For a pretty sorcerer you haven't even taken your rights with yet? _

_You've lost everything Aladdin! Your wife lies in the next room, raped and bleeding and screaming. And worse, she may be with child. With child you incompetent fool! What will you do if she dies hum? _

No. Aladdin whimpered, shaking his head furiously. "No please…I'll do anything but don't take her from me like this." He begged and sank to his knees.

_Why do you care? Do you even love her anymore street rat? Do you? Or are you simply to afraid of losing everything you've gained?_

"I love her." Aladdin vowed. "I love her! I always have and I always will!"

_And what about Mozenrath?_

Aladdin could not respond.

_You haven't even begun to examine your feelings for the wizard have you? You pitied him before, even if it was mixed with hatred. But now? What of him now? What lurks in your heart for the pale man with the beautiful body? Has he been worth all of the pain and suffering your kingdom and now your Jasmine have endured? Is he?_

Aladdin began to sob. He wrung his hands into fists and slammed his eyes into them as though he could gouge the thoughts from his head. But they did not cease, even as tears escaped through clenched fingers. "I don't know. I don't know."

_Do you love him Aladdin? Or do you just want to satisfy your protective instincts? Is this passion or perversion? Explore your own motives Aladdin. But be careful, one movement in the wrong direction and you may damage him worse than Diriel ever could. _

"I wouldn't hurt him! I would never hurt him!" Aladdin protested and them felt his conscience nig him. He had struck Mozenrath. Yes he had been dreaming, he had panicked and under a spell. But he had struck Mozenrath in anger.

_I'm no better than Diriel. For all my attempts to keep myself from him my body burns to take Mozenrath's. _Aladdin realized and felt worse than ever. Here he was, covered in his wife's blood as she lie in pain in the next room and all he could think about was that bloody sorcerer.

_I love Jasmine. If I didn't none of this would hurt so much. _

_But…do I _love_ Moze?_

Mozenrath congratulated himself privately, if somewhat guiltily. How long had it been since he'd cast a spell? Nearly two and a half months since he raised Diriel and he had still managed a half way decent exorcism incantation. Of course it wouldn't rid them of something like Diriel. He was under a specific geas. But it would hurt him for days, damaging him considerably. Mozenrath took some sadistic pleasure in the knowledge that Diriel's healing powers had to be depleted, and that handsome face was now ravaged thanks to him.

_You won't be so cocky when I get a hold of you my whore. _

Mozenrath froze, slowly raising his head to look at himself in the bathroom mirror. His reflection would have made anyone shudder. Looking back at him through the clear glass was Diriel's image, more frightening than ever before. Sure enough, the arrow had dug deep, though how he had removed it when the spell burned demon flesh Mozenrath had no idea. His left eye was gone, leaving a gaping socket behind which he covered with a half done turban. The magic had burned and scared his features, leaving them marred and heinous. But through the ash like flakes of skin peeling away from one half, his right eye burned like a volcano.

_Looks as though I'm not the only one with a wound today._ Diriel twitched unpleasantly and eyed the bruise from where Aladdin had struck Mozenrath. _Is your hero not all he has cracked up to be?_

Mozenrath touched the purple blue mark and grit his teeth. "This wasn't his fault. You used one of your filthy demon scum to trick him. You tried to trick me!"

_Ah yes, Barae exceeded my expectations. In truth I had hoped to lure Aladdin outside the safety of the barrier, but his mind proved to stubborn to subdue, even in sleep. He wears his heart on his sleeve, this Aladdin, and such people never fear their own emotions. Jasmine on the other had possessed just enough self loathing to fall prey to Barae's unusual method of persuasion. And why go for a bird in the bush when one is in your hand? _

Mozenrath wished he could spit. "You can't hurt me anymore Diriel…"

_Your absolutely right. _Diriel whispered, the harsh texture of his words coiled around Mozenrath's flesh. _But I can keep hurting them._

Mozenrath's narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean? Jasmine is safe within the walls and I know the djinn is setting up extra barriers around the walls to keep out any other tricks you might have planned." He gave a small, shaky smile to his master. "You are locked out."

Diriel's jaws opened in a crooked grin. Without warning he began to laugh and laugh and laugh. Mozenrath felt the harsh sound grate against his ears as the demon image seemed taken by mirth. _Locked out! I'm already in you fool!_

"What do you…?" Mozenrath bit his lip, his storm cloud eyes widening. "No. No you bastard. You couldn't have possibly…"

_Destain never gave you enough credit my love. You figure things out much quicker than I would have anticipated._ Diriel said snidely and tossed his hair back. _By morning my seed will have done it's job inside of Jasmine's body. Her child, Aladdin's child will have become infected in the womb. What she birth's will be my rebirth, even if I have to wait nine months for it to come._

Mozenrath felt rage, white hot and burning within him. He wrenched a chair up from the floor and flung it at the mirror, backing away as the image shattered and spilt on the floor. "She was kind to me!" he yelled. "She had no cause to bring me here, no reason to trust me and yet she tended my injuries with her own hands!" he screamed and looked down into the shards. Diriel now stared back at him a hundred fold, his face smiling back from every fragment of the mirror.

_If I…_Diriel began. _…gave you a chance to save her. A chance to save Aladdin's heir…would you?_

"Why would I have any reason to believe what you tell me?" Mozenrath snapped at him.

_Why not? As long as I get what I want I have no reason to seek revenge against Agrabah. I enjoy the physical world Mozenrath. I want to remain here for all of eternity. And I can make that happen very easily._

"They'll come looking for you…" Mozenrath whispered. "Aladdin will come to seek revenge for what you've done to his beloved."

_I have no attachments to the Citadel whatsoever. It can be left behind as easily as a scrap of paper. Besides…_ Diriel bore into Mozenrath's brain with his thoughts, impressing them upon him. _Once the child is born whole and unharmed, I doubt anything or **anybody** could make him risk losing it. _

Mozenrath whimpered, and bowed his head. "Just…just please…let me say good-bye."

Diriel paused for a brief moment and seemed to be considering. After what seemed an eternity, he nodded. _Very well Mozenrath. But I warn you, do not try to cheat me. You are mine, by blood and magic you are mine. If you are not outside of the barrier by midnight, the first thing I will take when I am reborn will be Aladdin._

Mozenrath watched as the image of Diriel faded from sight, leaving only his own pained expression to stare back at him.


	17. Chapter 17

"Mozenrath?"

The young sorcerer looked up at Aladdin from the doorway to his room. The hero looked…tired, more than anything else. He had just washed, the sheen of fresh water still clung to his body. Aladdin looked very confused at Mozenrath's presence and the man debated weather or not coming had been the right thing. "I'm sorry to have bothered you." He paused nervously. "I'll…I'll go now."

"Wait!" Aladdin called as he began to shuffle away. "Wait Moze come inside." He beckoned gently. "Please…it's alright." He opened the door wide and attempted a calming smile.

Mozenrath looked over his shoulder, fumbling with his bone wrist for a moment before entering. "Close the door please." He asked firmly, not wanting any prying eyes.

"Are you sure Moze? I don't want you to be uncomfortable." Aladdin asked hesitantly. He was quickly weighing the controversy inside his head. As long as the door was open, there was a danger others might see. That though alone could keep him from doing anything stupid. He did not want to sorcerer to see him as a threat. And the hard pounding in his chest warned him against making any movements he might later regret. On the other hand, had anyone seen the sorcerer enter? Closing the door would be a confirmation that something…unsavory was going on behind the walls of the Sultan's room.

The gesture was out of true concern for his well being and Mozenrath felt his reserve crumble within. "I'm alright Aladdin. Really." He insisted and Aladdin shut the doors, leaving them unlocked.

"I'm glad you came." Aladdin said firmly and took hold of Mozenrath's hands. "I can't thank you enough for what you did today." Mozenrath felt a fierce blush crawl over his cheeks as Aladdin's hands touched his. They were warm and calloused, the kind of earthy hands one would expect from a man of the streets.

"It was nothing special. Just the right spell at the right time." He insisted and Aladdin shook his head.

"No. I mean that you took action at all." He smiled brilliantly and stroked a long lock of hair away from Mozenrath's face. "When everyone else was loosing their head you stayed calm and decisive." Aladdin pushed the hair behind Mozenrath's ear. "That's an admirable trait."

Mozenrath felt his lip twitch a little at the corner.

"For a moment it was like you were your old self again."

The smile curled away and Mozenrath tried to hide the hurt in his eyes. Aladdin was more perceptive than people gave him credit form and frowned, holding Mozenrath's chin so that the man could not turn away from him. "Moze…" he said apologetically. "Moze I'm sorry I didn't mean…"

"No it's fine." He insisted and tried to smile again.

"No it's not. I didn't mean to be offensive just…" he stroked Mozenrath's shoulder.

"I know." Mozenrath said and put his hand on Aladdin's. "I know what you meant." He closed his eyes. "But I'm not that person any more Aladdin. I never will be again."

"I know Mozenrath." Aladdin assured him and suddenly seemed to realize how close they were to one another. He could feel Mozenrath's breath on his neck. Their hands were clasped in one another's and only an inch separated their bodies. Mustering all the control he could Aladdin pulled away gracefully. Mozenrath made no noise but took a deep breath, reeling from a contact high.

"Here, I had some coffee brought up." He gestured to the pot and Mozenrath nodded. He poured them both a full cup and sat down across from one another on the couch.

Mozenrath opened his mouth a little, then snapped it shut, afraid to speak. Shy glances were cast across the table for a few minuets, both caught of what to say now. Both desperate to find some way of having this private moment. There was a heaviness in the air between them, hung with unspoken questions and thoughts neither man was ready to express verbally.

Mozenrath finally found the strength to break the silence. "How is Jasmine?" he asked quietly, almost hoping his voice couldn't be heard. Aladdin didn't respond or look up from the dark brown liquid in his glass for so long Mozenrath though he was being ignored.

"The doctor said she's stable for now." Aladdin said in a voice that tried to hid his emotions. "Her injuries aren't extensive, at least physically. But there was some… tearing…" He winced. 'They aren't sure if she'll ever bare children."

"She will Aladdin. It takes time but the flesh does heal. I can give the doctor recipes for some lotions and salves that can aid the process…" Mozenrath paused and blushed bright red. In his eagerness to comfort Aladdin he had put his hand on the younger man's thigh. His bone fingers gripped against the fabric gently, almost inquisitive about the muscles beneath to silk. With a shy gasp he began to draw away.

Aladdin placed his hand on top of Mozenrath's, giving him the lightest touch of encouragement. "Moze…" he stopped and felt the bone hand shaking. Mozenrath wasn't looking at him but at their entwined fingers. "Moze…your trembling." He said, concerned.

"It's all my fault." Mozenrath whispered and pulled his hand away with a yank. "I'm so sorry for all of this Aladdin. If it wasn't for me your family never would have been put in danger. I'm so sorry Aladdin." He felt his voice crack at the end and tears streak down his body. He pulled himself up from the chair and began to run towards the door.

Aladdin was right on his heels. Mozenrath pulled the door open a crack and Aladdin slammed it shut again, his chest pressed firm to Mozenrath's back, his hand resting on Mozenrath's against the door knob. The grip was firm and unrelenting, but not angry. Aladdin's breath was hot on his neck and Mozenrath could feel energy snap between their bodies.

"It was not your fault Mozenrath. How can you even think that?" Aladdin whispered, a note of frustration on his lips.

"Because it's true Aladdin. You can't deny it." Mozenrath answered back, anger now mixing with the sadness. It felt good to be angry again, in a very strange way. The emotion was freeing. "One could even argue I deserved it."

"What?" Aladdin spun him around, slamming him back against the door. "No one could possibly deserve…"

"Didn't I?" Mozenrath yelled back, his voice raising for the first time in months. "Think of everything I've done Aladdin! It shouldn't be hard to remember it all." Bitterness crept in, mingling into the deadly self hate. "Think of what I've done to people! The lives I've destroyed, the terrible things I've forced you to go through!" The air around him snapped with loose magic, popping around his head. "I deserved it Aladdin! I deserved it every time Diriel forced himself inside of me! I know that now…" he whispered, a coldness creeping over his body. "I know…"

_But does that make it right? Does deserving punishment make it acceptable to see it dealt out in so cruel a fashion? And what gives a person the right to dole out that castigation? Could Aladdin say he had that right? Could any human being? _

Aladdin stood tall in front of him. They could look one another directly in the eye now. He still was not used to the height. Aladdin wasn't really shocked by the sudden use of magic, or by the outburst. He'd had some dealings with this situation on the streets. And Mozenrath, even in his angst had kept his card close to his chest. All of that rage and resentment was bound to explode sooner or later.

But he would have expected it to go towards an external source. Mozenrath confused him by casting the blame inward, showing an amount of self revulsion and loathing that he never would have thought capable of the arrogant and cock sure wizard he had been so acquainted with.

_But a thick armor can only take so much of a beating. After a while it gets so banged up and bruised there is nothing left to protect yourself with. _Aladdin had a feeling that this had been building long before Diriel. Those kind of emotions didn't just come out of the blue. _Probably since at least Destain. _

"Mozenrath." Aladdin said in a soft but unyielding tone. It was the kind one might expect from a superior, with just an edge of steel to it.

Mozenrath winced and shook. Had he pushed it too far? Aladdin could beat him within an inch of his life, kill him even. No one would blame him, especially after what had happened to Jasmine. He felt Aladdin's hand come down on his shoulders. The next movement happened so suddenly he had no time to question it.

Aladdin's arms were around his body, holding him close, forbidding him to move away to struggle. It was not an angry, vicious hold, but a comforting grasp. And while Aladdin's arms hugged him, Aladdin's mouth found his.

The two lips moved against one another, passionate and wanting. A brilliant flush spread through both men in an instant, the kind that leaves you hot from deep within your soul. They found their way into one another's mouths, tongues spreading between firm flesh and eagerly inviting a more intense exploration.

Aladdin pulled back for a moment, breathing heavily. He waited, his body arching towards Mozenrath as the paler man slowly opened his eyes, as if from a dream.

"Listen to me carefully Mozenrath. And do not speak until I am finished." Aladdin warned, brooking no resistance. Mozenrath gulped but nodded. "What has happened to you, as far as Diriel is concerned…" he had to be very careful how he phrased this. He couldn't sugar coat it, Mozenrath would know he was trying to spare him reality and that could be even more harmful than the truth. "What happened to you was more than anyone deserved, no matter how terrible their crimes. No." he said forcefully as the young wizard opened his mouth to argue. "Whatever you have done, no sentence could have been more brutal than the one already dealt to you Mozenrath. None." He pushed hair away from the man's face, kissing a line from his crown to his chin. "And in that you have paid for your deeds a thousand times over."

Aladdin took Mozenrath's cheeks in his hands and kissed him again, opening their mouths and pulling Mozenrath's tongue into his. He felt a rush of joy when Mozenrath arched towards him, begging for closer contact. But he forced control on himself. Mozenrath had to get the point of this. "I could forgive you Moze. Both officially and personally. But …it's more important that you forgive yourself."

Mozenrath bit his lip and felt tear push out from his eyes again. "I know that doesn't happen over night. I know it's going to be hard. However hear me out." He nudged Mozenrath up, looking at him in the eyes and begging him to understand the feeling behind his iris.

"I will help you Mozenrath, in whatever way I can. I _want_ to be here for you…if you want me to be." Aladdin touched their cheeks to one another and held him tight, unwilling to provoke it any further. Again there was silence. He could almost feel Mozenrath mulling it around in his system.

"Aladdin…oh gods Aladdin…" Mozenrath felt his skin tighten to the point of pain. He…he _wanted_ Aladdin. Like he'd never wanted anything before in his life. But again he was silenced with the firm press of Aladdin's finger.

"I want to know you. And I realize I have no right to ask for it…no!" he chuckled softly. Mozenrath's personality was so forceful he was still trying to argue. "I have no right to ask to know you Mozenrath. No matter what you think. You owe me nothing. But I would like to know you, in whatever capacity you are willing to be known. In short…I would like to be your friend."

A friend? Perhaps to some, the notion of friendship with a man who sets your blood aflame would be revolting. The insult it might imply, the idea of a spurned romantic advance would have sent one with too much pride into a fit of rage. But for Mozenrath, to whom the concept of friend was so foreign an idea. Perhaps…

"Aladdin…I…" he felt tears welling up again. There were no words he had to describe the warmth in his body. Yet the urge to respond was to great to do nothing. He opened his mouth and slipped it onto Aladdin's allowing himself to speak through action. The kiss was hot, but not desperate. There was great tenderness in the way their tongues grazed across their teeth and swirled in one another's mouths.

Aladdin could feel a wonderful sensation creeping along his body. Fear mixed with the bliss of adrenalin. How far was okay…how far was too far. The wrong move… pushing him more than an inch would only send Mozenrath further away from him, promise of friendship or not. But just a nudge, a little here or there to show intent, warn him, so to speak of how Aladdin wanted the rest of the evening to go. It gave him the opportunity to refuse if Mozenrath simply could not bare the thought. There would be several of those nudges through the night. Just to be sure, just to be careful.

Mozenrath's heart skipped a beat as Aladdin's fingers moved from his hair to the neck line of his shirt. Not opening it, just tracing the line, testing to see if it was alright. Mozenrath turned red, but kissed the finger, wordlessly showing that it was alright. Aladdin drew the side of his shirt open, letting it fall away inch by inch to expose bare, beautiful male flesh. Mozenrath hiccupped and Aladdin chuckled softly, amused at the thought of him being so nervous. The red in his face turned scarlet and for a brief instant he looked ashamed.

Aladdin backed away a little, giving Mozenrath room to breath. _Not too much. Not too much. _He reminded himself. "Mozenrath…" he looked towards the bed and looked back, asking with his eyes if that was what he wanted.

You could have caught fire from the flames burning on Mozenrath's body. He nodded quickly, breath coming from his mouth in short gasps. But Aladdin wasn't rushing him. He slowly took him by the hands and lead him to the side of the bed. But it was there that Mozenrath paused.

"Moze…" Aladdin said and suddenly shook his head, his eyes shifting in and out of focus. He looked up at the sorcerer. "Moze…"

"I would have loved to have this night with you Aladdin." Mozenrath said softly. He touched the hero's cheek tenderly and kissed him again. "But then I realized…it would only make it harder for me to leave."

Aladdin felt his blood slow in his veins and his breath become gentle to the air. Reason came slowly to him now and it took Aladdin a moment to comprehend. "No…" he whispered. "Mozenrath I won't…" he rose and clutched Mozenrath's shoulder. "I won't allow it!"

Mozenrath's face wrenched painfully and he pushed the staggering Aladdin back to the bed. "I'm not leaving you a choice." He said, his heart felt as though it might tear. "When you had the coffee brought up, I slipped a drug into it Aladdin. It will make you sleep for 24 hours. By the time you wake up…I will be long gone from Agrabah. Do not try to find me Aladdin. Diriel has already promised to take me far away from you." He had to push the resisting Aladdin down on the sheets. "Please…lay down. The potion doesn't take long."

"Mozenrath…" Aladdin felt his body grow a great weight on it, a horrible heavy sleepiness was taking over. "Mozenrath why? I would have protected you…I would have kept you safe…" Aladdin's eyes closed and he slumped to the pillows.

Finally, Mozenrath let himself cry. He cradled himself into Aladdin's body and kissed his cheeks a thousand times over. "I know you would have. And that's why I can't let you." He kissed Aladdin's lips and his resolve was strengthened as they were kissed back. He rose from the bed and closed his shirt tighter about himself. There was still one more thing to tend to.

Jasmine's room was kept dim, with only a few candles lit beside her bed. The Sultana slept with a grimace on her face, her eyes squeezed shut, her body tightened into itself. She clutched her sheets like a frightened child, almost hiding beneath them. No matter how old we get, the idea that if we hide beneath the covers, stay quiet, stay still, nothing can harm us. We are safe in our beds. We are safe in our homes.

We are never in more danger than when we are sure of our security.

A shadow fell across the young woman as she slept. The door clicked shut with a solid sound and the figure moved closed, silently, not wanting to awaken the troubled woman.

Mozenrath crossed at the end of the bed and walked up to Jasmine's side table, looking over the woman who had been his awkward defender. If for no other sake than sticking by her husband. He owed her just as much.

The sorcerer looked into the vanity mirror, gazing at his image for a brief moment. It didn't take long to see the red eyes glare back at him from a familiar figure in the darkness.

Diriel growled, tapping his fingers on some unseen surface. "I'm growing impatient Mozenrath…my love my whore. Why do you keep me waiting?"

Mozenrath summoned his last bit of bravery. "Free her now." He said and pointed to Jasmine.

The daemon snorted. "You jest? Do you really presume to order me about?"

"You already said you would release Aladdin's child from your curse." Mozenrath reasoned. "All I'm asking is for you to do it a little earlier."

"You do not trust me Mozenrath." Diriel said, smiling from his half face. "I am hurt by this. I have done many things to you my whore…but have I ever lied?"

"No. You are not capable of lying to me. I summoned you." Mozenrath said firmly.

"True. So why do you doubt my words now? All I want is your Mozenrath. I care nothing for these humans and their politics. I regret now ever trying to reach out my hand to them. Come outside the walls. Give yourself back to me, and I will release this Sultana's child from my touch."

Mozenrath grit his teeth and shook his head. "Do you have the time to bargain with me master?" he said and looked at the daemon's image. "I see your face. That arrow I cast into your eye burned you didn't it? I can see your flesh bare to the world." Diriel growled, his eyes boring holes into the mirror so hard it cracked. Little shards of glass fell to the floor. "How long do you have left?"

"Don't lie Mozenrath. I know you count the days with as much desperation as I do." Diriel's voice had lowered. When the creature became truly angry, he did not yell or rage, he became quiet. A silent, seething rage that waiting to consume all in his path.

Mozenrath nodded. "You want me back. You need me back. And I…" he choked for a moment. "I have realized what the cost of me remaining in Agrabah would mean… both to myself…and Aladdin." It was true. He had undergone much contemplation in the past few days. If he stayed…even if he became Aladdin's lover…there would always be that doubt. The doubt of the councilors that Aladdin was allowing his emotions to be under the sorcerers influence. The doubt that Jasmine could keep from being undermined by the sorcerers presence. If his own people doubted him, support would fall out from under the young and inexperienced Sultan. It was already damaged by the extend to which Aladdin had gone to protect Mozenrath.

_He's young. He's not been raised to be a Sultan. One day, this might be forgotten, wars are fought over more ridiculas causes than this. And in time they are passed over as the younger days. But as long as I remain, I am a threat to Aladdin's position. And I _want_ him to have that opportunity. He deserves that opportunity. Oh Jasmine…_ he thought as he looked down at the sleeping woman. _Not so long ago I thought you to be a fool for marrying that street rat. I though your city would crumble from beneath you if you let Aladdin sit on the throne. But now I know better. Now I know why you chose him. _

Diriel chose to speak. "So…you want to come back to me."

Mozenrath felt his soul shatter within. "Yes master. I do."

Diriel shifted positions. "You'll be punished. You know that."

Mozenrath bowed his head, and nodded.

Diriel tilted his head towards Jasmine. The reaction was instantaneous. The Sultana bent her head over the side of the bed and vomited. It was not food product but mass amounts of thick black fluid that poured from her unconscious mouth. It made a positively sickening sound as it splattered against the floor, bubbling and frothing at the sides as Jasmine continued to retch.

"There!" the daemon said and pointed into the pile of charcoal fluid. A bubble was beginning to congeal and move of it's own will, sloshing from side to side in irritation. "Burn the infection or it will travel back into her."

Mozenrath didn't hesitate. He grabbed a candle and conjured the flame brighter, burning the little thing like a tick. It fizzed and gave a high pitched scream, burbling until the smell of sulfur flooded the room. It was so nauseating Mozenrath ran to the windows and flung them open, letting a wonderfully healthy breeze into the room. Mozenrath turned around and saw the dark brackish stains around Jasmine's lips and the floor begin to dissipate. Jasmine's appearance changed almost instantly. Her face relaxed it's muscles, her eyes no longer screwed tight to block out the terror. Her natural, healthy glow returned and her hair no longer seemed to hang limply from her skull.

And…with a clarity he hadn't realized, Mozenrath felt a second heartbeat join the Sultana's.

He turned to the mirror. Diriel was already gone, no doubt waiting for him outside the walls. He touched Jasmine's cheek gingerly and…in an impromptu moment, kissed her forehead gently. "I want you two to be happy together." He said in a whisper. "I really do. And I can only hope you don't blame me too much for what I might have cost you."

"I don't."

The voice was so weak at first Mozenrath was unsure if he'd heard it. He looked down to see Jasmine's deep brown eyes looking up at him, awake, but very very tired.

"You…can't…leave…" She was struggling to speak. Her ordeal had obviously taken much energy out of her.

"You can't stop me." Mozenrath said firmly. "You can't even move and you shouldn't try." He said honestly. Mozenrath settled her back into the bed and began to head for the door. As the click opened, he heard a deep breath and Jasmine spoke quickly…

"He...loves…you…" she said and fainted into the pillows, completely out of stamina.

Mozenrath closed his eyes and bowed his head. "I know."


	18. Chapter 18

Mozenrath cried out in agony, his body bleeding in a dozen places and broken in a dozen more. He fell to the couch in relief, praying, hoping beyond all hope that it was over, at least for now. He forced himself to look back at Diriel, anticipating the worst.

But the daemons focus wasn't on his. The creature was feeling over the features of his face as they formed over flesh and bone. His hair, the long silver white dread locks that carried to his waist grew back over his scalp and malevolent red eyes opened to the world around them. Vain creature that he was, Diriel took a look in the mirror, analyzing every last line and inch of his skin. "Perfect." He said finally, satisfied with his appearance. "See how good we are for each other Mozenrath?' he said, still not turning to his weakened, bleeding victim. "You provide me with the energy I need to sustain myself, and I…" he grinned, finally looking over at his toy. "I keep you in line."

"Master…please…" Mozenrath choked out, spitting Diriel's seed from his throat. He was raw all over, claw marks imbedded deep in his flesh. His throat bruised from a strangulation hold, and his entry… His entry was broken entirely. Diriel had used something…some kind of device he wouldn't dare describe, to break him open in every direction. This was of course after he had repeatedly violated the sorcerer. After all he liked his toys tight. No use breaking them before he'd finished.

"Now Moze. Do you really think you have the right to ask anything from me right now?" he questioned, the hot glow of rage still barely dormant in his irises. "But come now, you've done your duty to me." He said, taking sadistic, precise enjoyment from humiliating the sorcerer further. "What do you wish?"

Mozenrath closed his lips, looking at the pitcher of water on the table.

"Very well." Diriel poured a goblet full, the moisture glistening on the glass as he beckoned to Mozenrath. The sorcerer forced himself to move across the couch, his back sore and whipped and lay his head on Diriel's lap in an appropriate submissive gesture. Diriel smiled, his fangs showing in the light. He took a long sip and made Mozenrath rise to him. Mozenrath whined as he was made to kiss the beast, lips opening to accept wonderful cool, refreshing water down his sore throat. "Better?"

"Yes master." Mozenrath said softly, bowing his head back down.

This was his prison now, paradise though it would be termed by others. They were no where near the desert now, and the smell of sea air and winds filled his senses. The sun, the beautiful sun he'd become so used to in Agrabah had not left, but made the shore glow like gold. How Diriel had found the time to erect a palace in this island he'd no idea. Just another of the mysteries that the daemon seemed to let out one at a time. Mozenrath didn't care. He was a whore again, a gilded, silk ladened whore in his masters home. That was the extent of what he need be concerned about.

Diriel had begun to pet his hair, sliding his fingers through the silky man. "Ah how I've missed that." He hummed gently. Mozenrath whimpered, tears streaking down his cheeks. "Now now my little whore. No need to cry." He reassured the wizard. "Your home now."

"Yes master." Mozenrath sobbed out, his body beginning to throb with pain. "I just…hurt." He choked out, seed and blood mixing on his lip.

Diriel seemed startled for a moment, a look of confusion over coming he pretty face. He wasn't used to Mozenrath confessing pain to him. The little pale man he had first come in contact with would do anything to avoid admitting agony. Something had changed about his little pet, something he had never been approached with before. _Very well then._ Diriel said to himself. _That will just make this all the more interesting. _"Demanding little whore aren't we?" he said and wrung Mozenrath's hair up, pulling the sorcerers head up. "After all the trouble you put me through and you actually have the gall to ask me for healing?"

"Master indicated interest. I was simply for filling your curiosity." Mozenrath pleaded, his shoulders and neck straining. Diriel gave a gruff sound and grimaced. He placed a hand on Mozenrath's back, letting him feel the heat rise on his palm.

_Little fool. He would have healed by morning any how. _The white haired beast realized. If Mozenrath hadn't asked for his healing, he would have had to stop playing, otherwise risking lethal damage to the man. By allowing him to seal the wounds and shut the internal injuries, that only meant Mozenrath would be forced to spend hours into the night satisfying his masters needs.

_Perhaps he wants it that way. Perhaps he's finally given up resisting. _Diriel seriously hoped not. Out of all his triumphs, Mozenrath had withheld from him the longest. Even before that idiotic Sultan's interference, Mozenrath had resisted conquest to the point of death. Now that he thought about it, that was what truly made him desire the little sorcerer. Forget that he was essential to remaining corporeal. Mozenrath enthralled him in a way he was no accustomed to. So strong, yet it was a strength that bent and twisted instead of standing tall and being broken down. _It explains how he could always manage to glare at me, even after I'd raped him till he wept. How he always seemed to carry that spark of resolution behind his gray eyes._

Up till now, Diriel had thought that to be the most dangerous part of the sorcerer. The one thing he needed to conquer before he could feel secure in his standing on this plain. But now…

_Now it's like they've taken the fun out of it. Why else would the nobility and such own tigers and jaguars if the thought of controlling something so dangerous didn't bring_ _them pleasure. Take the fangs from cobra and all your left with is a slithering worm. _That disappointed him more than anything else. What joy was it to beat on a dead horse? What purpose did it serve beyond keeping him bound here?

The moment he was healed Mozenrath was thrown off Diriel's lap and onto the floor. He pushed himself up, looking at his master from the ground. "Have I done something wrong?" he said and watched in horror as Diriel bared his teeth and advanced. "Master…MASTER!" Mozenrath shrieked as Diriel brought his open claws against the sorcerers face and sides. "Master please!" he yelled and tried to struggle away, still sore and aching. "Master what did I do?" _Aren't you sated yet you bastard! _

"Fight back!' Diriel yelled, his voice rough and angry. "Fight back you worthless sniveling concubine!" he brought his fist down, knocking Mozenrath across the tiled floor and into the pillars across the room.

"Please…master…Diriel I don't understand!" Mozenrath screamed as Diriel closed a fist around his throat, digging his claws into the young man's neck. "Diriel…"

"Come now my whore. You were brave enough when you were safe behind those walls, why at such a loss now?" He smiled, feeling Mozenrath struggle to breath in his grip.

"Please…Diriel…" Mozenrath gagged and Diriel suddenly let go, letting the man slump to the ground, coughing and gasping for air. "Diriel…I don't understand…" he gasped. "You have what you wanted…I gave myself to you…"

"To save the child of that idiot and his woman." Diriel sneered and spat in Mozenrath's face. "Don't get me wrong now whore, I'm grateful you came back to me. I've allowed you to live haven't I?" he said and added a kick at the end of his sentence. "But something's wrong with you." He muttered. "Your different some how…like a willow tree in a storm." Diriel's voice faded a little, becoming a whisper in the room. With sudden calmness he leaned in close to Mozenrath, holding his chin and gazing into the sorcerers eyes. "What happened to you…in that palace?" he asked in even tones. "Were your moments with Aladdin really so perfect, so pleasurable, that you now give your entire self willingly to an endless nightmare?"

Mozenrath took a gulp, closing his eyes and thinking back to that moment, that brief, wonderful moment, where Aladdin had kissed him. The smooth touch of their lips on one another, the warm sensations of their skin touching as their blood ran fast through the veins and made them quake in delight. Just a kiss. He had given his body and life for a single, perfect kiss. "Yes." He answered, his pain fogged eyes opening with clarity and determination.

Diriel backhanded him into the wall, the sickening _crack_ echoed through the building. The daemon's breath was heavy and ragged as he stood , holding hid blood stained claws and growling. Suddenly, he laughed. A low, frightening sound. "You know what your problem is Moze?" he said. "I've shown you too much favoritism. A whore should know their station and I've given you too much preference." He smiled, watching as his toy tried to collect himself. "Perhaps I'll get you a playmate eh? You seemed to like that Aladdin boy an awful lot. I'm sure he'd take as much pleasure in our games as you."

"No!" Mozenrath roared, his body barely supported by the pillar. "You leave him out of this! He has nothing to do with this!" he raised an accusing finger. "You gave your word."

Diriel smiled. "And you honestly think I'd keep it?"

Before Mozenrath had even realized what he was doing, the bolt of blue white energy had been flung from his finger tips, heading straight for Diriel's chest.


	19. Chapter 19

"Mozenrath!" Aladdin threw open the door of his room, hand held to his head in an attempt to focus. "Moze…no… no please don't have been that stupid." Upon awakening everything had returned in a rush. He still felt ill from the after affects of the potion, but not enough to keep him down with what he knew had happened. _That idiot! Tha stupid…beautiful…idiot! _Aladdin shook himself fully awake and called out again. "Mozenrath!"

A sound down the hall echoed to his ears, a cry of undeterminable origin. "What the…?"

The doors to Jasmine's room flung open, a nurse maid scrambling out with his cheeks flushed and breathless. "Sultan! Your majesty!" she stammered as she saw Aladdin in the hallway. "Your majesty…it's impossible…I've no idea how it came about…!"

"What happened?" When the woman continued to babble incoherently, Aladdin seized her firmly by the shoulders. "What happened woman!" he demanded and she pointed to his wife's rooms.

But despite all fears, the quarters of the Sultana were filled with light.

Jasmine sat up in bed, her hair left unbound and wafting in the morning breeze, her eyes gazing off into the skyline as the sunlight cast against her caramel tinged flesh. She heard Aladdin's footsteps in her room and turned to him, her rosy complexion returned. Aladdin…"

For one brief moment, everything else vanished from Aladdin's mind. He grasped his wife to him, holding her cheeks and kissing her face a thousand times over, adoring the smile on her compliant lips and glow in her nutmeg eyes. "Jasmine…Jasmine how…I don't understand…"

Jasmine slowly took his hand, leading it under the covers and pulling it back to reveal tha beginning of a belly. Aladdin flushed bright red and rubbed the back of his neck, realizing what his wife was showing him. She took am moment, letting him enjoy the sensation of a pregnant womb as much as she did, and then looked into her husbands eyes. "You have to save him." She said in a voice that brooked no refusal. Then she told him everything from the previous night, all she could remember from the glowing red eyes in her vanity, to Mozenrath burning away the plague that threatened to ravage their child.

"He gave himself…to save our child." Aladdin said, sinking down beside her bed, hands still on the precious stomach. "He sacrificed himself…"

"Because he loves you." Jasmine finished, her chest burning.

Aladdin hesitated, looking at her with fear in his eyes. "I have been a terrible husband to you love." He said. "No I have. I've been an even worse Sultan, allowing my hero complex to sway my decisions and endangering ourselves and our people." He bent him head in humility. "Do you still love me Jasmine?" he said suddenly, afraid to meet her eyes for the answer.

"Aladdin…" she thought, trying to find a way to phrase it right. "I think…I was so angry at you. For such a long time I hated you, because I could feel you falling for him the way you did for me. I could feel my hold on you slipping like sand through an hourglass and I thought if I let you go, you'd leave me forever." She shushed him when he tried to protest, a firm hand on his mouth silencing Aladdin. "But my anger at you had little to do with your actions…and more to do with my lacking. I felt I'd failed you as a wife because I hadn't born children yet. I thought you fell into Mozenrath's arms to spit me for my inability to carry." Her eyelids glistened with tears. Everything was coming out now. Why are humans such fools? To hold back emotion and allow for such foolish misinterpretations that only build the walls of anger higher? Why do we wait till too late before we confess our truth to those we love, especially when so much trouble could be saved?

"But last night I came to a realization." She smiled, a little ruefully. "He loves you Aladdin. And I know you love him. You don't need to protest it." Her smile turned a little more jovial. "It's alright. I didn't understand it then but I think I do now."

Aladdin stood up, looking at her with renewed respect and appreciation. "I love you Jasmine. I always will."

"And I know that now." She responded. "But…"

"…I have to find him. I have to rescue Mozenrath." His voice was firm, steady, the voice of a man realizing his power and responsibility.

"I know." Jasmine nodded and kissed him gently on the lips.

"I'll come back. I promise." Aladdin said and returned the kiss. He turned to the servants, instructing them to keep her safe and check on her every second. But Jasmine was no long thinking about her condition. Everything was alright now, she could sense it in her heart.

She hadn't lied to Aladdin when she said she understood now. Well, maybe not entirely, but much better than before. People are not one dimensional beings. You can not place them into convenient little packages and put a label on, justifying your personas of them. The Aladdin she had first met was she knight in shining armor, her bad influence with a good soul. And all his deeds had turned him into the Seven Deserts hero of fairy tales and bedtimes stories. But the reality was much more complicated. Jasmine knew there was a part of his life, rougher and darker than she could ever imagine, that she couldn't understand. Not for lack of want but lack of experience. She was his light half, the part that kept Aladdin's goodness shining through in the most desperate of situations.

Mozenrath, with all he had been through, all she knew he had suffered, represented that side she couldn't know. She knew rumors of what went on in the deepest scum pits of Agrabah's alleys. What a young man like Aladdin could have been forced to do just for a meal, or because someone thought he was too handsome for his own good. She knew his struggles outweighed hers ten times over. She knew, but couldn't grasp it any more than she could grasp wind. All she could provide sympathy but sometimes that just made things worse. Mozenrath knew first hand the kind of daily strife Aladdin could (and probably had) gone through.

_He loves us both because we both are so like him, only to different extents._ Jasmine said to herself as Aladdin kissed her good-bye and headed out the doors. _I can't thank you enough _for_ the Mozenrath. For giving our child back to us. _"Bring him back Aladdin." She muttered under her breath. "Bring him safely home."


	20. Chapter 20

Aladdin held the crystal tightly in his hands, a look of grim determination set in a hard line on his mouth. He had endured the awkwardness of asking Genie for the little gem. Not to mention explaining exactly why he needed it. He was going after Mozenrath. He was going after his friend.

As he headed out into the seas, the crystal spun as if on an axis, stopping due south. Genie had triggered it to react to Mozenrath's direction. As he got closer, it would begin to glow and now the device was a beacon of light. Aladdin landed on the sands of the beach, his shoes digging into the soft turf. "Carpet…" he said turning to his friend. "I want you to go hide." His woven friend bowed, somewhat confused by the request. "I know Carpet, but I need to do this on my own." He said and his old friend seemed to nod, leaving him at the gates of the daemons lair.

There was nothing terrifying about the building. In fact it even seemed like a summer home for a noble. Aladdin reach out his hands to grip the shining metal handles and recoiled as the double doors swung open to admit him. The wind seemed to blow against his body as the cavernous hall called to him, beckoned him inward.

Aladdin set his face and pulled his blade from it's sheath. He took a step inward, keenly aware that he was being watched. He hadn't really expected to get past the front door without being noticed. That was alright. He wanted to meet Diriel head on. No more hiding behind walls and guardsmen. That foul creature would pay for everything he had done.

"Mozenrath!" Aladdin called out. His voice echoed in the walls and the doors slammed shut at his back, leaving him without sunlight. He twitched a little at the edge of his lip, realizing he was trapped now. No turning back. No stopping. "Mozenrath!" he called again to the vacant halls. Would he be answered?

Ahead of him, a soft glow emanated from the walls in different colors. Panes of glass built into the brick and mortar with figures moving behind them. Suspicious, Aladdin moved closer, his senses on alert.

Diriel gripped hold of the firestorm as Mozenrath slumped to the pillar. His claws wrapped around the angry magic and flung it aside like fabric in the breeze. "Mozenrath, my foolish little whore." He strode forward, his feet making no sound on the marble. "You no longer can defend yourself against me." He said warningly, Mozenrath biting his lip in apprehension. "You have no recourse. You are mine." He punctuated the last sentence by striking the sorcerer to the ground, leaving long claw marks in his cheek. "You gave yourself to me this time whore. And for what? For a knocked up princess and her pathetic street rat husband?" he laughed, as if it were a grand joke.

Diriel gripped Mozenrath by the back of his head and hauled the frightened man up. "What do you have to say for yourself now Mozenrath?" he questioned and petted the wounded cheek. "Now that you have nothing else left but me?" He lapped at the blood as if it were a sweet treat. "Yes I will keep my word. I have no reason to go after Aladdin now. You can rest safely in my arms, knowing your beloved little street rat is safe."

"Diriel…" Mozenrath whimpered as the claws closed around his hips. His body ached a thousand times over. And yet there was a sense of relief. He had made the devils bargain. Diriel wanted nothing more than his property returned ad now that he had it there was no reason to attack Agrabah. Aladdin was safe. It would be alright. He had lived with ravishment before. He could do it again. He spread his legs open as Diriel position himself to use his whore once again.

The sound of a door slamming echoed up the stairs and Diriel paused, his eyes unfocused for a moment. Mozenrath on the other hand didn't need any kind of magic to sense what was happening in the halls. "No…" he whispered and caught Diriel's eyes.

The daemons red iris glowed with a jovial intensity. "Well now…seems we have a guest." He stood and strolled over to the walls, sensing their vibration and through it the nature of their visitor. "Shall we make him welcome?" he chuckled and Mozenrath felt his heart freeze in his chest.

"Aladdin!"

The sound died before it ever reached his ears. All that could be heard between the colored glass windows was an eerie harp melody. Plucked out string by string as the panes opened to reveal small stages bathed in candle light. Aladdin jerked out of reflex, his sword coming up and read as the red pane to his left slid up. "What in the…?"

A gasp left his lips as he began to realize what he was seeing. Mozenrath! Mozenrath was on the stage! Diriel was there was well, his body atop the sorcerer as he ruthlessly pummeled the younger man. From his position Aladdin could see the massive daemon cock sliding in and out, stretching the sorcerer beyond human means. But while Diriel roared above him, bathed in the blood red glow of the glass walls, Mozenrath made no sound, only looked up at Aladdin. His eyes begging…pleading.

The wall behind him began to move, this time colored a deep, frightening amber. Mozenrath was still there, but his tormenter was not Diriel. A host of demons moved within the glass stage. And their rape of him was not only sexual. They carried little knives in their hands, poking and prodding his flesh in the soft parts where a man is most vulnerable. And as the squealed in glee and cruelty, once again Mozenrath made no sound. His face was twisted in pain, his eyes looking only at Aladdin.

"Stop it!" Aladdin hollered, looking back and forth between the two stages as yet another opened. Each scene was worse than the next. More gruesome, more deviant, all perfectly conformed to the stages they were set on. Aladdin covered his ears to the howls and snarls coming from the creatures within them. In each box Mozenrath only seemed more dejected and abused. And yet no cry of agony or whimper of pain escaped his perfect lips. He just looked out through storm gray eyes as Aladdin ran by, leaving him to a daemons mercy.

"Stop this!" Aladdin yelled as he fell on his knees. "Stop it you bastard!" he screamed as the harp music continued.

A final glass box opened in front of him, cloaked in gentle sea blue colors as the figures inside moved with one another. The music surrounding him slowed, becoming softer. The lights illuminated themselves to reveal the figures within, and Aladdin felt his mouth fall open.

"What…?"

It was him. Mozenrath lay beneath him, his body and the sorcerers pushing up and down against a bed of silk and crushed lavender petals. And as his own shaft entered the pale, beautiful sorcerers body, the man moaned. He opened his mouth, wrapped his arms around the psyudo-Aladdin's shoulders and called out in ecstasy. Aladdin knelt, awe stuck by the scene of perfect love making before him. He scarcely dared blink as 'Mozenraths' thighs bucked against his own, accepting him all the way inside.

"You can have him like that you know?"

Aladdin didn't move as Diriel approached him. He saw the red dots of the beasts eyes loom over him, reflected in the glass. A clawed hand touched his shoulder from behind.

"Malleable, compliant. He wants you anyways. So it would be no compromise to have him lay beneath you and quiver."

"You're a despicable bastard." Aladdin finally managed with a dry tongue.

"How unkind." Diriel said and beckoned to the Mozenrath on the stage. The sorcerer stopped his motions with the false Aladdin and came down, the glass window closing behind him. "Don't you want him? I will let you have him, if only to keep you happy?"

Aladdin watched as Diriel reached forward and brought Mozenrath to him, his arm around the young man's ribs as he lifted the pretty featured for exhibition. "Come now. I can promise he will deliver you a thousand pleasures, one right after the next."

Aladdin shook himself, his body gone lax and defenseless. "That's not Mozenrath." He whispered and licked his lips.

They both smiled. "Why not? I assure you he is absolutely exact in every detail. From the number of ebony hairs to the tightness of his little pink star." Diriel said and touched the aforementioned tunnel. Mozenrath whimpered and shivered, looking pleadingly at Aladdin through clouded eyes. "He'll walk, talk, act and please you just as the real thing."

"That's not the point. You can't give him Mozenrath's heart!" Aladdin defended. "You can't give that doll his soul!"

"Of course not. I need those." Diriel answered. "But I can give you the next best thing." He said and chuckled. "Come now. You can't ask for better than that. Try him." He presented the fake Mozenrath to Aladdin. "I promise you'll want nothing else for the rest of your life."

"Your nothing but a pervert! A freak with horns and claws!" Aladdin yelled and grabbed his sword from the ground, brandishing it at the pair. "Let Mozenrath go!" he hollered and took a step forward. "You don't deserve him."

Diriel laughed, his claws growing long and sharp as his horns cured wickedly. "And you think you do?" he snarled. "You humans, your all alike. You think only with your pelvis and breed like the rodent scum you are." He surged forward, talons locking with the sharp edge of the sword. Aladdin flung him and as swung for a blow.

"This from you? All you do is spend your time raping an innocent men!" Aladdin accused and missed, spinning around to defend himself before another slash could come at him. "Your no better than we are!"

"I do what I was created to do. I am what I am. I feed from sex and blood and there is nothing I can do to change that." Diriel made a move and flecks of red splattered onto the ground. Aladdin clutched his shoulder and fell back, gritting his teeth against the pain. "But I am incapable of performing any of these acts until I'm summoned. I wait in a coffin of fire for some idiot sorcerer to raise me up. I only do what I am brought to this world to do hero! And your Mozenrath was just the first in a line of many." Diriel fended off a sword blow and there up his hand, sending Aladdin slamming into the glass pane with fierce magic. It shattered, reflecting his image in millions of little pieces.

Aladdin groaned in pain and pulled a long shard from his shoulder, the blood turning his clothing scarlet. Diriel approached, his visage growing more terrifying as the shadows seemed to grow around him. "Did you ever bother to ask yourself what Mozenrath intended to do with me once I was summoned?"

"What the hell do you mean by that?" Aladdin winced and clutched his wound.

"Come on now. You two have been adversaries for how long? Mozenrath would do anything to see the kingdom of Agrabah fall and leave you and your princess dead on the sands." Diriel slammed his hand into the wall, leaning over Aladdin as a spider like trail of blood dripped from Aladdin's cheek. "What do you think he summoned me for Aladdin? What did he intend to do with a creature of my caliber once he had me?"

"You…you're lying!" Aladdin cried and tried to breath. "Your lying you bastard!"

He grabbed the sword with a resolute hand and brought it down into Diriel's chest with all his might. He felt the tip his flesh and cut deep, past organ and bone till it punctured the other end. A spray of blood hit him so hard he closed his eyes to it and only pushed harder. "Die you son of a bitch. Die!"

"Aladdin…"

A cruel laughter filled the air as Aladdin opened his eyes. From beyond the haze of red he could see a face, all to familiar, and splattered with blood.

"Aladdin…wh…wh…" Mozenrath fell back against the ground, his chest spilling over with so much blood it bubbled.

Aladdin froze up, sword trembling in his hands. Then he began to laugh. "Hehe…no…no Diriel you won't fool me like that." He turned to the daemon. "That's your cheap imitation." He pointed to the bleeding beauty on the floor. "That's not the real Mozenrath!"

Diriel smirked and raised his hand, letting the illusion around them fade. His private bedchambers illuminated the room as the stage puppets behind the glass walls disappeared, leaving the room flooded with sunlight. The psyudo-Mozenrath was lying on the couch, reclining with a bowl of grapes and slipping one around and around in his mouth. "You poor, love struck fool." Diriel said with a smirk, not seeming to notice as his finger tips turned to smoke.

Aladdin dropped the sword with a clag, rushing to Mozenrath's side and supporting the sorcerers head in his arms. Already the gray eyes were distant and the young man's mouth was burbling blood. "Mozenrath…no Moze…" he felt the tears come through a hateful face and turned to Diriel. "You fool!" he hollered. "If he dies so do you…" His eyes changed to shock as Diriel raised his arm, showing the slow dissipation of his flesh.

"Too true…too true." He mocked as his arm began to waft away in the breeze. "I guess it's up to you then isn't it hero." He smiled, fangs glinting in the daylight. "You can save the sorcerer…and by that action continue to let me live." He took his other arm and set a finger to his temple. "Or…watch as Mozenrath the whore dies in blood and agony."

"Stop calling him that!" Aladdin yelled and slapped his hand against the deep sword gash. "Mozenrath…Mozenrath you listen to me….hold on alright!" Aladdin tore his shirt from his body, bandaging as quickly as he could while Mozenrath coughed between vast amounts of blood blocking his vision.

"Aladdin…" Mozenrath whispered, looking up at the street rats face. He smiled, just a little at the corners of his mouth. "Aladdin…you idiot you came for me…" He coughed again, feeling the life begin to fade from his body. "Aladdin…"

"No Moze…don't talk." Aladdin said over the hard, cruel laughter of Diriel as his body was lost to the breeze. "Moze don't talk…" he picked up the limp body. "I'm going to get you to Agrabah." He promised and began to run for the door. The glow of Diriel's red eyes following him in the futile flight.

Mozenrath reach up with his hand, the magic of Diriel fading as his presence in the world. His skeletal digits uncovered themselves from beneath the skin and he grazed Aladdin's cheek. "Aladdin I love you." He said and closed his eyes, no long able to keep himself awake.

"Mozenrath." Aladdin yelled desperately as his woven friend came into sight. "Mozenrath!"


	21. Chapter 21

_You are dying._

The voice curled in his mind, infiltrating all corners, taking joy at the pain slicing through his body. Like a fog it encircled his pain receptors, tweaking them for more abuse. _You are dying my love my whore. And then…oh then…_

_You are dying too Diriel. _Mozenrath whispered in his head. He knew it was true. The connection that bound them, the spell he had made such a horrible mistake in attempting, was wearing thin. Even through the haze of pain and death he could feel the pull withering away. His body, used for so long as a receptacle of need, began to come back to him. He hadn't realized how heavy the weight of slavery until he was no longer burdened by it.

Aladdin held him close, his hands closed over the massive gaping injury. The blood. Dear Allah how could the human body hold so much? He applied pressure, trying so hard to make it stop. Mozenrath whimpered and twisted. Aladdin gasped and held him steady. _It's all my fault._ His guilt ridden consciousness blamed him for the full extent of events befallen.

Everything.

From the very first time Mozenrath had crossed his path, he had mocked him. He had defeated him and sewn a seed of hatred and revenge so deep the man had been willing to summon demons. Just to destroy him. Just to regain his lost pride. That there was nothing he could do or could have done to change it didn't register. The man he loved was dying in his arms. The lily white skin grew to the pale of sun bleached bones. His obsidian black hair caressed Aladdin's skin in waves of silken softness. His eyes, those perfect pearl gray orbs looked up at him blankly.

The man he loved.

_I die._ Diriel's voice chuckled. _Death is a condition limited to humans. I _leave_ Mozenrath. I do not die. _The claws of the beast, no longer physical clung to him angrily. _But Oh my love my whore I will drag you with me. I have brought countless others to my lair in the depths where I sleep. I will take you to. It is easy, for not only is your soul bound to me but to the cold fires of my homeland. _The claws dug into his hips, penetrating his flesh.

He felt lost. They had come so close. He had fought so hard. It was funny, ironic even, to see now how everything was turning out. Mozenrath. _Wizard of the Black Sands, Ruler of the Citadel. _He smirked through the pain in his soul. Diriel was dragging him down, the air around his body grew cold and clammy. _I thought I was such hot shit. _He smiled sadly. _I could laugh. I really could if I didn't think it would hurt._

Aladdin saw the faint smile cross the blood streaked lips. "Moze?" he said softly and stroked back his hair. Carpet was moving at breakneck speed across the deserts. The oceans was miles away by now and the flew over the dunes. They wouldn't make it in time. It was a mantra that scabbed over his lips right now. He always though, that if you think the worst will happen, the best will come about just to prove you wrong. It was with that idea in mind that Aladdin mentally prepared himself for the very worst.

Jasmine stood at the balcony, her eyes turned westward, watching, desperately watching as she caressed her stomach. He'd been gone so long.

Mozenrath felt Diriel pull him deeper down. It was no long his body that felt heavy, but his soul. The sensation of dirty, filthy clouded his thoughts when the daemon pulled him closer.

_That's it whore. Come willingly. I can show you things now. I am limited in your plain. But now… _Diriel sighed, his great red eyes glowing fiercely. _Oh now I will show you such thing. _He was no longer handsome. His face, that strong, human face was by far more bestial now. The strange markings burned into Mozenrath's arm scored and became lit with fire, the patterns searing into his bone. _Am I pretty my whore? As pretty as you are? _Diriel mocked and his great spiked tail lashed to and fro.

Mozenrath felt no fear grip him. He felt calm, almost groggy. He chuckled, shocking the new form of his master. _No wonder you primped so vigorously. With a face like that no one would ever try and summon you!_ He threw back his head though it pained him and let out a full, forced laugh.

_You find breath to mock me?_ Diriel said and breathed hot steam onto Mozenrath's neck. He smirked, if that wide, fanged mouth could form a smirk. _See how long you hold your pride down here. I have brothers you see…lesser know, less summoned than I. And oh how they long for sweet human flesh._

Mozenrath could see figured coming for him through the orange mists. They were crooked and gnarly, their bodies twisted into haunches shapes. He felt his body jerk in resistance, the pressure of this world pulling through his body.

The carpet touched ground at the palace and Aladdin surged forward, holding the young, bleeding wizard in his arms. "Help!' he cried out, his voice hoarse and raw. "Somebody help me!" he screamed though it hurt and ran through the doors. "Please!"

Jasmine was first to his side, ignoring the nursemaids pleas that she return to bed. "Doctors now!" she barked the order in the tone of a woman not to be trifled with. "Aladdin put him down here," she said and led them to her room, helping him lay the naked, bleeding sorcerer down on her couch.

_Not so unfamiliar a scene._ She though grimly. Only this time it was more seriouse. The gash in his body lay from shoulder to ribs, so deep the blood seemed black. She grabbed towels and shrieked at the maids a second time to go find the damned surgeons! _Don't worry Mozenrath. You helped me. Even when I cursed you and wished you dead you helped me. I won't let you die. _She resolved firmly and propped up pillows to make him comfortable. Aladdin sat with the young wizards head in his lap, trying to will the body into healing.

A pang went through Jasmine and she felt guilty for it. _That will go away in time. _She promised herself and realized that she expected Mozenrath to be with them permanently. A doctor burst through the door with his kit and moved her out of the way, setting about his task.

Mozenrath felt himself being held as if in a dream. He turned, expecting to see Diriel's arms wrapped around him. But the beasts face was gone, two strong, tanned arms touching his face serenely.

A face began to form, concerned, fearful and open. Dark eyes that bore into his like perfect spheres of hope. A man's face that would never loose it's youthful glow. Mozenrath knew he was sinking to his knees as Aladdin formed in front of him, stronger than the presence of Diriel and his brothers.

_Moze…_ The form said to him, holding his cheeks kindly. _Hold on Moze. We're going to help you. I swear it. Oh Allah Moze I'm so sorry… _Tear began to come from Aladdin's eyes, streaking down the sides of his face, turning his earnest features into a terrible mask of desperation. _Please…please…_ He bowed his head to Mozenrath's and let his tears fall across the man's eyelids.

_Please…_

A ragged laughter and Diriel moved closer to him. _See how your lover begs you? _Diriel laughed in pure sadistic nature. _And what did you ever give to him Mozenrath? Did Aladdin ever taste your lips, or wrap his arms around your body? Did he ever bring you to bed and penetrate you with his manhood?_ He tsked and shook his great head. _You are truly an ungrateful bitch, to see a man so completely in love with you and give nothing in return._

Mozenrath ignored him, his gray eyes fixed on the image. He was aware of his body being messed with. The gape on him caused by the sword was being painfully cleaned out and his skin being tended to as best as could be. He was not dead yet. Was he? With a sudden, brazen movement Mozenrath moved toward Diriel. _Where are we? _He demanded loudly. Diriel froze, his massive eyes narrowing suspiciously. _You said you were dragging me to your home, why have you stopped? Where are we my _master? It was Mozenrath's turn to mock now. He felt strange, unsure, but a sneaking suspicion was crawling through his mind.

He turned and moved closer to the vision of Aladdin, hovering over him, trying so hard to protect him. Diriel gasped and Mozenrath grinned. He was right. _You can't have me._ He said confidently. _You've dragged me as far as you can and are stalling for time. _There was no doubt in his soul. As Mozenrath moved closer to Aladdin, the other figures of Diriel's fellows pulled back, almost afraid.

_So what? _Diriel snarled. _You are dying Mozenrath, and your soul is mine. That filthy street rat bastard can only protect you as long your you breath. But when your heart slows you will be mine! _He surged forward, claws outstretched and bulking body straining for him.

As if on cue Aladdin's soul reached out for Mozenrath's and embraced him, pulling him in close. Diriel was thrown back by the sheer power that emanated from their being. _No! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! _He roared as Mozenrath grasped hold of the strong, hard shoulder, his body lighter than air. _He is mine! Mine! I will have him!_

_**No.**_

A voice. Powerful, immanent. Not angry or rageful, but confident. As if the word it spoke was nothing less than absolute truth. Mozenrath looked up at Aladdin's face, but the lips did not open. Only his eyes seemed to speak.

_**No.**_ Said the voice, and Mozenrath felt himself begin to rise.

Aladdin took Mozenrath in his arms and felt the chest begin to rise and fall more reassuring than before. The doctor pulled back, his brow covered in sweat and his cloths bloody. "I've done all I know how."He assured them and began cleaning up. "If he makes it through the night you may yet hold out hope." He left quietly and quickly. If the doctor had any opinions of this odd scene, A Sultan holding the body of his dying nemesis while his wife did her best to clean the pale body, he kept them to himself.


	22. Epilogue

"He's dead." Said the man on the chestnut gelding. "I can feel it in my soul." He steadied himself on the horse and breathed a sign of relief. Perhaps the first breath of his entire life that felt entirely unencumbered by sorrow or strife.

The man beside him smiled a little sadly. The sun sank in the Western skies, the vibrant colors casting themselves over the sands like a spilled ink pot. The ungodly heat was dying down, replacing the burn with a refreshing coolness. Most desert people did their traveling at night and slept during the harsh day. That's why he was heading off now.

The doors of Agrabah were opened but not for much longer. The city did not allow for travelers to arrive after dark. And given the recent troubles you could tell from a distance that the guards were only too eager to see the moon rise and the gates barred shut. Even feeling safe in the sure knowledge of Diriel's death, shadows were being watched with new eyes. One shadow in particular.

Mozenrath smiled a little sadly and checked his packs to make sure they were secure. He grimaced at the pain in his body, being careful not to tear the tight stitching. It hurt. Enough so that he probably shouldn't be taking off so quickly. Still, it was best to leave now, while people were busy repairing and recuperating. No one would notice his passing until he was beyond the horizon and far from Agrabah.

"You could wait a while." Aladdin said softly. "You're wounds need time to heal and be cared for." So much he wanted to say. So much that could not be said. Guards flanked them, escorting their sultan from the walls as was their duty. He could not say the tender words in his soul. Not right now. Not in front of them.

The necromancer sighed tenderly, his trained eyes reading the meaning behind the body language. "Genie gave me the stuff he used to seal it up. I'll be fine Aladdin. I'm a survivor. I always have been."

_But you don't have to be._ Aladdin tried to say with his eyes. _If you really wanted too… _And yet in a strange way he understood. He had been born a street rat. Lowest of the low and scorned by society. And yet his freedom had no bounds. He was a man unto himself. And now, with the man he wanted to have all to himself preparing to leave, Aladdin willed himself to stop being so selfish.

Mozenrath tried not to look directly at Aladdin. He knew if he did, if he let himself be captured by those wild hazel eyes, he'd stay. Aladdin didn't realize it yet, his heart hurt to much to see past that. But in time the hero-sultan would come to realize why he'd gone.

This could never happen.

Even if Mozenrath chose to stay, what would it mean for him? He'd be no more than a concubine. Even if Aladdin held him close at night and share their bodies like true lovers should he would still be no better than a harem man. When the other sultans began to send their second and third daughters and serving womens children Mozenrath knew he would be pushed even lower through politics. Aladdin would be forced to love him at night and scorn him at day. That would be the only way to maintain an outward appearance of control.

And even then, there would always be rumors. Mozenrath's history was firmly against him. There would always be talk. In council and court. People would always think that Mozenrath's mouth would hold sway in Aladdin's decisions. They would have no faith in their sultan, and no trust in him to keep his own mind. The same thing was bound to happen with Jasmine, but that was different. She was his wife and queen. A woman born and bred for rule. They might even expect her to take the larger load till Aladdin became accustomed to the weight.

But he was and always would be Mozenrath. Sorcerer of the Citadel, Lord of the Black Sands…

Enemy of Agrabah.

Aladdin did not put a hand on him. He wanted to. A parting kiss. A gentle stroke against his unconsummated lovers face to show genuine care. But the guards were there. Annoyingly there. And he could not make them leave.

_Fool! Are you a sultan or not? They are your guards now make them leave!_

The men's heads turned up, confused by their sultan's sudden and abrupt order. Leave? Leave him alone with this…this…

"I said for you to return to the city." Aladdin ordered again, turning his horse a little to see into their eyes. "The gates need secured. Assist with that and I will return promptly." He was not going to give them the chance for arguing. It was only when the gates hid their faces that he dismounted and turned to Mozenrath, trying to speak and finding his mouth ill prepared.

"Moze…"

"Aladdin…"

"We've picked a name." he said softly, unsure of himself right now and stalling just to speak to Mozenrath a while longer.

Mozenrath smiled. "Let me guess…Aladdin Jr.?" he said and they shared a chuckle over that.

"No. Jasmine was insistent on it." He looked pointedly at the sorcerer. "She's decided to name him Thenra."

Mozenrath arched an eyebrow. "Nice. Not to obviouse, still if one looked to closely at the letters…"

"Well we tried Mozen, Ozen, Zenrath, Rathen…" he waved his hand a little absently. "No offense but your name sounds wicked no matter how you rework it." He started to smile and realized suddenly just how closed Mozenrath had moved to him. Breath left his lungs and he felt compressed.

Mozenrath stopped him with a touch, his fingers placed lightly upon the man's firm lips. He took a kiss. Just this once. His kiss. It was not forced on him by other lips. He was not grabbed and made to be kissed. He pressed his own lips to Aladdin's and took his kiss. Warmth washed over him even past the coolness growing at dusk. He held onto Aladdin and let his body absorb this moment.

It was then that Aladdin understood. As their tongues caressed and their bodies held tightly he realized that Mozenrath was not coming back. He was leaving Agrabah and the Seven Deserts. Aladdin did not know how he could tell. But in his mind he could see clear blue waters and green fields of grass and grain. Mozenrath was going away from where one had to eek a living from sand and dirt. He was going somewhere alive.

Somewhere where Mozenrath could live.

"You are always welcome in my city Mozenrath." Aladdin said as their legs found their horses again. "Know that you are always welcome."

Mozenrath smiled, his lips burning with longing. "I know." He took the reigns in his hands and kick the horse into a light canter, taking him around for a moment to regain to feeling of riding. "And you know…" _That I have no intention of coming back. Understand Aladdin. I want my _freedom! _I want to live just once for no one but myself. To be completely unbound by hate or man…or even by love._

He loved Aladdin. He knew that now. He loved him so completely and utterly his body was consumed with fire undying as they were so close. Mozenrath did not let himself cry now. What reason would there be in tears that would only weaken his resolve. This was his chance. His one chance to be a free man! And if he must sacrifice yet again for something, he was willing to do so.

"I know." Aladdin said and held back his own crying. He felt as if love, that special thing that is only supposed to come once in your life, was slipping through his fingers. And he was being forced to let it go.

Mozenrath smiled one last time at Aladdin, breathing, taking it in and still not wanting to meet his eyes. And yet as stars began to rise, the pale silver light of the moon appearing quickly in the sky, Mozenrath allowed himself to look up.

He spurred his horse away, the image of Aladdin's dark iris's fixated in his mind as his traveling cloak flared out behind him. The jarring footsteps of his gelding rattling his bones. Mozenrath felt sorrow and heartache clutch his chest. His muscles begged him to turn around, go back and be held and stroked. And yet his soul refused. It pushed his feet and kicked the horse harder. His spirit and strength breathed in the air of night. The sweet taste of true freedom.

Mozenrath sat straight in the saddle and called out with a scream of triumph and anguish. Behind him Aladdin's ears caught the tale on the wind and he let his eyes weep, the dark sky growing behind him. And in the midnight blue of the world, in the bed he shared with his wife and the room they kept together. He would remember Mozenrath, and know that in his heart of hearts, he loved them both.

And was loved in return.

Fin


End file.
